Enemy Within part two Family Matters
by dart53
Summary: The group may be threatened by more than just Germans... Could this be the end of the team?
1. Chapter 1

The usual disclaimer applies, I hold no rights to the characters or premise of Garrison's Gorillas and derive no monetary gain from the story you are about to read.

Thanks again to Beth and Chris for the offer of the read through on this second part, and for suggestions from readers that led to additional 'scenes'. dale

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**Enemy Within **

Part Two

**Family Matters**

"Look it's not gonna go very good for us if you go killin' yourself over nothin' y'know."

When it had become apparent that Garrison was going to pace the hospital hallways, or the floor in his room, rather than get the sleep the doctors said he needed he'd been released to come back to the estate with explicit orders to rest. The fact that he was in his quarters now had less to do with those instructions than it did with the difficulty he had making the climb up the stairs. That had worried the men enough that they'd set a 'guard' on him and it was the second story man's turn to keep an eye on the Warden for the next few hours while the others were across town at Mrs. Reid's place, keeping their promise to visit with the kids.

Garrison took a deep careful breath. It felt like he had one of Chief's blades between the ribs under his arm again. Goniff was right, and he'd been worrying about just that as he lay there in the bed, sweating out the fever. "I know. Go down and get my briefcase out of the office for me."

That wasn't exactly what the little thief had in mind, but the Warden had that no nonsense look in his eye and without the others around to back him up Goniff found it easier to do what he was told. He'd try and clean up any trouble it caused later. He went into the office and brought back the heavy leather case, setting it down on the bed within Garrison's reach. "That's not gonna help any!" He watched the forms and pen come out and shook his head as the Warden pulled the case onto his legs to use it as a desk. "You'r 'spose t'be restin'."

"I will, I promise. But I have to get this done first." Starting to write he seemed to forget the little cockney was in the room. The first set of paperwork had gone through faster than he had expected and he'd been asked to provide more information, which he'd done, this was the second request. He had to get it out. He knew if Reynolds were around he would follow up, but with him out of it now he was afraid the whole thing would die if something happened and he couldn't see it through. Wilhoitz couldn't stop it, couldn't stop him from responding to the requests, but he certainly wouldn't follow it up himself. Besides, Garrison laughed silently, Wilhoitz was having enough trouble dealing with the 'epidemic' of food poisoning Rawlins and the other team Sergeants had arranged, to worry about something like this. Good man, Rawlins, spoke some Italian and German too… too bad his accent was so atrocious. With a devious mind like his he might be valuable on their trips across the channel.

Operations had ground to a halt and, while he was still in charge, Colonel Wilhoitz and his methods were under investigation. Findlay was waiting to be rotated home and he would probably be issued out of the service. Garrison got that from Dr. Philips when the man had come to him in the hospital before he'd been shipped back to the estate and thanked him for alerting them to the 'stress' Dr. Findlay was under due to the condition of his wife.

He was shocked that he'd been able to pull that act off. While he was sympathetic to the wife for what had happened to her and a part of him could certainly understand Findlay's deep anger over it, the greater part of him, especially the part centered in his hands, just wanted to wring the doctor's neck for trying to get him and his men killed to satisfy his need for revenge. Actor had been in the room at the time he very earnestly expressed his concern about the good doctor Findlay to Dr. Philips. Knowing the consummate con artist had to step out so that he could have a good laugh in the hallway had done nothing for Garrison's concentration. Philips hadn't seemed to notice his lapse, or maybe he just put it down to the fever.

Goniff watched him through the first page and into the second before he got up and headed for the door, wondering at the grim smile that crossed his face. It was no good. Whatever the Lieutenant had in his head he was stubborn enough to see it done, no matter what. The little thief wandered back down to the kitchen, wishing again that it'd been Actor left behind today instead of him. At least the big Italian had a possibility of conning the Warden into doin' like he was 'spose to. He didn't stand a chance, and he knew it.

ggg

The Warden caught him in the hallway a couple a days after he was up on his feet and they'd finally let him come back downstairs. He'd worked through the papers that had built up while he was flat on his back. The stuff that wasn't marked with the military codes that demanded his attention even if he was sick had been left on his desk and he'd just found the orders. A quick phone call to confirm them and Garrison had given him the word. …. The final papers had come through, it was really official now.

Casino hadn't wanted to tell the guys, not until he was absolutely sure it was going to happen. They'd all been in the library when he walked in and told them the plan, the Warden leaning in the doorway behind him as he explained. Jeannette would ship out for the States and his younger sister would take care of her. Mrs. Reid had tried to find a family for her here in England, but with the stress of the war right on their doorstep no one seemed to want to take on the additional responsibly of a child with her special needs. That was fine by him, he'd known he wanted her as a part of his family the moment he'd seen her… Now he was getting exactly what he wanted, what he hoped they all needed.

The groups' enthusiasm for the idea was genuinely warm and heartfelt. They'd all taken to the little girl as soon as she'd arrived at the estate. Watching him with her they knew there was a special bond between them. Their safe cracking expert might put on a tough guy act for the rest of the world to see, but they'd worked together long enough to know him for what he was. Square built and tough, as likely to take a swing at you as grab you up in a bear hug. Temperamental and quick to anger and just as quick to laugh. Opinionated, belligerent, aggressive, argumentative, quarrelsome, loud mouthed and cantankerous he was always spoiling for a fight. As soon as you thought you had him figured as someone just watching out for himself he'd reach out and take a child into his arms to comfort them over a skinned knee. No matter how hard he tried to hide it Casino was the softest touch around.

"Are you sure Casino?" Goniff hurried along before the man could get mad, "I mean, is your sister gonna be able to take care of a little tyke like her?"

"You mean 'cause a the braces, and the wheelchair?" When he turned he'd been ready to deck the guy, but when he looked into his eyes all he saw was real concern and it threw water on the anger that was ready to boil up in defense of the little girl he'd already grown to love. "Marika and Chris know all about that Goniff. It doesn't make any difference to them."

"But she'll need special stuff, doctors and things… Will they be able to get it for her? I mean, I could chip in if…" Goniff sent money to his Mum and Molly over in New York, but he didn't have anything else, anyone else. If he had enough in his pockets for a beer or two down at the Doves that was enough, he'd be glad to send the rest along for the little girl, and his willingness showed on his face.

Goniff had been trailing him along the hallway as he made his way to the door, he was headed out to give Jeannie the good news. Casino stood there in the entrance to the mansion they called home for a minute before he could answer. "It's OK Goniff. Chris's got a good job and Marika's in tight with a bunch a doctors. They can take care of her." He swung away and then thought about what the little guy was offering and turned back. He grabbed the pick pocket in a quick violent hug. Releasing him he gave him a resounding slap on the shoulder before he turned and walked down the steps to the jeep that waited to take him across town.

Goniff watched the vehicle as it pulled away. Reaching up he rubbed at the spot that was tingling on his arm from the safe cracker's friendly blow. When the barrier dropped closed down at the gate he turned to go back into the house, and found Chief and Actor watching him from the doorway.

"You gonna be OK?" the young man asked, amusement in his voice.

The little burglar walked past them, flexing his arm and wiggling the fingers of his hand, he shrugged, grinning. "I think so."

ggg

Operations had started up again, teams that had been cleared by the medical staff at the hospital were going across the channel again, but their unit was still sitting at home in the English countryside just outside London. Chief and Goniff, both recovering from their injuries, continued to play up their pain and weakness so the Warden wouldn't get any funny ideas. They were actually close to being fit for duty but had decided to turn the Lieutenant's concern for them against him, to put off the trip they knew would eventually come, until his stubborn insistence that he was 'fine' came closer to being the truth.

Garrison chafed at not being able to go back to field work, but Goniff and Chief still needed some time. Philips said neither one of them was strong enough yet to take on another mission. That left him nothing to do but paperwork. Wilhoitz might have been tamed enough by the ongoing investigation to turn his hostility away from setting the team impossible assignments in the hopes that they'd fail, or worse be captured or killed, in order to remove the men from the Special Forces section, but it didn't keep him from sending every sheet of paper he could find in Garrison's direction. After all, evaluating, interpreting and translating was considered light duty, and that's what the doctors stuck him with. They were wrong though. He was fine. He was ready to go back.

Garrison shook his head as he packed the briefcase with the papers he'd been studying and headed out for his meeting. He knew getting all this stuff ready was vitally important. The teams he sent over there had a right to expect every bit of information he could give them, and every idea he could dredge up to get them through their assignments. And they'd get it. Garrison was responsible for three units and they'd get everything it was in his power to deliver,,, he just wished he was taking his own group out. He hadn't realized until now how hard it was to stay behind and just wait for word,,, wait to see if the people he sent over there would be coming back.

ggg

For once his intelligence gathering instincts had failed him. He didn't realize that Wilhoitz had been harassing the other teams. The unique nature of his own group made it easier for the colonel to threaten them, and harder for Garrison to establish supportive relationships with the other team leaders. They had yet to use his unit in a combined mission, and the time that he had at headquarters to get to know his fellow officers was almost always cut short as he raced back to the manor, into town, or up into London to bail the cons out of their latest predicament. While Wilhoitz had been threatening his group with renewed prison terms, he'd been using the close knit relationship all teams develop against them by threatening to break them up if they didn't tow the line and do things his way. With the danger they faced and the intensity of the missions they undertook most of the units had developed close ties, family-like ties that mattered to them, mattered deeply. And while none of the men would admit it, no one wanted to see their unit fail and be disbanded.

The meeting was being held in one of the large conference rooms rather than Colonel Wilhoitz office. That was fine with Garrison, he hated to go one on one with the man.

"Colonel, I'm sorry, sir, but that just won't work!" He had tried for twenty minutes to get his point across to this hard headed son of a bitch and he just wasn't getting it. Damn the near sighted paper pusher! What they needed was a man who'd been out in the field himself. They needed someone who could understand the challenges and dangers they faced to bring back the information and accomplish the assignments they were given. What they needed was Reynolds.

"Don't you take that tone with me Lieutenant! I'm still head of this section, and I say it will work. And what I say goes! You got that!"

Something in him snapped. He wasn't the only one. Several in the room had started to shift uncomfortably as the discussion between them had escalated. A low rumble started in the group of men that went across the channel on a regular basis, risking their necks to bring back the information this man just saw as statistics, numbers on a page, bits of information in a report. He didn't see the people who put themselves on the line,,, didn't count the cost in injuries or loss of life. He didn't care about the danger he put anyone in, just as long as he could fill in the equations on his damn forms.

"Alright! You go ahead and try it your way…_sir_. You want to know what it will get you?" Garrison didn't wait for an answer. He wasn't going to get the OK to keep going because this jackass didn't want to know the truth. He just wanted to have people blindly follow his orders. How in the hell had he reached this level, and what in the devil was he doing over here!? "Since you're so fond of numbers… What that's going to get you is about a seventy-five percent mortality rate." He could hear the others grumbling their agreement.

Wilhoitz had gotten to his feet and was staring back at him, red faced as always, but speechless for once. "It's also going to show the underground that we don't put any value on their lives, that we are willing to abandon them the moment we get what we want. So you'll get a hundred percent drop in assistance!" His head was pounding and he was breathing hard, sweat had started across his forehead and he could feel it begin to trail down his back. Now he knew that it really was possible to get so mad you couldn't see straight because the colonel was beginning to blur around the edges, and the room was going dark. "Just how long do you think we can keep this operation going without their cooperation anyway? Does your damn fool formula tell you that?! _**Sir?!**"_

He didn't hear the chairs scrape across the floor as the others in the room came to their feet behind him. His own angry blood roaring in his ears kept him from hearing the rustle of fabric as they saluted.

"That will be quite enough, Lieutenant Garrison."

He didn't manage to make the turn all the way around to face the door. He didn't see the man that belonged to the voice. But he recognized the voice, just before he passed out and hit the floor.

ggg


	2. Chapter 2

Reynolds found what he'd seen and heard as he'd walked into the conference room where the meeting was being held hard to believe. The Sergeant had intimated there was trouble in the group as he drove him in from the airfield, but he hardly expected to see the beginnings of open revolt when he opened the door. It didn't, however, surprise him to have Garrison in the middle of it all. The young man had a way of stepping around the rules, which made him the perfect leader for his group, but the tone of his voice held the warning that his next step could very likely lead to violence.

"That will be quite enough, Lieutenant Garrison." He had other things to say, but the sight of the man as he turned to face him caused the reprimand to die on his lips, and then he was moving forward, trying vainly to break the Lieutenant's fall. As he dropped down next to the young man a ring of his fellow officers formed around them. Searching their faces a moment he asked, "What the devil's been going on here?" His question was met by dead silence as all of them turned to look towards the head of the room, towards Colonel Oscar P. Wilhoitz.

Wilhoitz was red-faced and breathing hard, sweat was beaded across his forehead, anger flashed in his eyes along with a touch of fear. He'd had no word that Reynolds was on the way back. Carlisle had promised him that the control of the section was his. He'd been in agreement with him that things needed to be tightened up in the operating budget and he had been making great headway. He could prove the cost effectiveness of each one of the units with his complex formula, and if this man thought he was just going to waltz back in and take over he had another thing coming. He had friends in powerful positions, friends who'd arranged for him to come over here so that he could get his time in a combat zone and then get his promotion. Reynolds wasn't going to stand in the way of that, and neither was that upstart Garrison, or his little group of 'experts'. Wilhoitz just needed a little more time, a few more entries in his ledgers to prove they weren't as productive as people seemed to think they were.

Reynolds' eyes narrowed in dislike as he gazed at Wilhoitz. He hadn't gotten on with the man when they'd first met. His position was that of a 'statistical expert' and he'd been sent over to see if there was a way to make the operation of the group and distribution of the information they gathered more efficient. It hadn't taken Reynolds long to discover that the man had no feel for the work the section did, and no idea how to handle the men that made it up. He seemed to irritate everyone he came in contact with. Part of that was his overbearing conviction that he was right, and his hard headed determination to prove himself. Reynolds had met and worked with many men who held those attitudes. Young men who shouldered the responsibility for this kind of work had to have confidence and tenacity, the older officers needed the self assurance and conviction to send them into danger. This man lacked those qualities, all he had was self centered, bloody minded stubbornness.

Reynolds glanced at one of the men standing by but before he could give the order one of the team leaders Garrison was currently handling spoke up. "I've sent Bishop for a corpsman, sir. I'll take care of him now, if you like."

Reynolds stood, giving way to three men who stepped to Lieutenant Garrison's aid. "Thank you, Peters. Gentlemen this meeting is at an end. Please return to you duties." He watched as the rest of the younger men moved towards the door. After a moments thought he cleared his throat. At the sign they turned and waited his orders. "I will expect an evaluation from each of you on the fitness of your group and a summary of the missions you have undertaken in my absence on my desk by oh-six-hundred tomorrow. Thank you gentlemen, dismissed."

By the time the unit leaders had cleared the room a team of corpsmen was in the hallway. Within moments they had removed Lieutenant Garrison to the small medical unit that was housed in the basement of the headquarters building. Reynolds watched them go, clasping his hands behind his back he turned and fixed a considering eye on Wilhoitz. "Oscar, I believe we have some issues to discuss. Come along with me, will you?" And with that he turned on his heel and stalked to the office that Wilhoitz had taken over when he usurped control of this group.

ggg

"I've been reading some of these reports Oscar, and there seems to have been a rather high turnover in the section since you took it over. The statistics on injury, and illness, have risen dramatically, and I have three requests for transfer..." If this miserable little excuse for a human being was going to stand in front of him and spout statistics again today Reynolds decided he was more that equal to the task of shredding his obstinate insistence in the effectiveness of his management of this group of young officers and men. "Things seemed to have gone especially hard on Lieutenant Garrison and his men."

"You said it yourself! They are expendable. All of them, if the value of the information warrants it! And as for that group of hoodlums… That little experiment should have ended as soon as _you_ had proof those men were able to get past the bars and off their base. I haven't had time to research it properly yet, but I'll lay you odds statistics will show the incidence of burglary and theft has risen in the area around that madhouse. I am of the opinion, Colonel Reynolds," Wilhoitz stopped his pacing and fixed the other man with a defiant glare, "and _General Carlisle _agrees with me…. I am of the opinion that Garrison's group has not proven themselves to be a practical use of the section's resources." He had the proof, the cost of maintaining those convicts on a separate base, ringed with guards, the cost of the repairs and modifications to the residence itself… modifications that didn't make one instants difference to their just waltzing in and out whenever they jolly well pleased. He'd put an end to all that when he'd sent his own contingent of men out to take over security at that makeshift penitentiary.

"What are you suggesting?" Reynolds' voice had gone quiet, the look on his face mild, expectant. If Wilhoitz had known him better he would have recognized that as a sign of the storm that was about to break over him

"That we cut our losses and send them packing, back to the holes that Lieutenant of _yours _dug them out of!"

Finding out Wilhoitz had seized control of his section had been a major factor in Reynolds' decision to remain on active duty. Even though he'd had the papers in front of him that, once signed, would have relieved him of further responsibility to the military, he'd found he couldn't turn his back on the men he'd come to respect and admire. He couldn't merely set aside the bond he'd formed with the young men he had in his command and 'let someone else take the responsibility' as his family had urged. Yes, someone else could do the job, if it came to that. But that someone was not O. P. Wilhoitz.

Reynolds had been quietly, coldly furious about the disruption to the units he had worked so hard to develop. While the aides that he had when he was in command had been replaced in favor of people who held the same philosophy as the cretin that was standing in front of him, the NCOs were still there. In his arrogance Wilhoitz had discounted the power and control the sergeants had over the day to day operation of the section, something Reynolds had never taken for granted. He'd found what they had to say about the operating environment and working conditions extremely interesting. He was especially intrigued by the information that had been provided by the quartermaster and cooks as to the quality of the supplies and food Wilhoitz had been utilizing in order to 'bring the section onto a more profitable footing.'

If he'd had an ounce of insight into the workings of another persons mind or emotions Wilhoitz would have realized that the quieter Reynolds became, the more perilous his own position. But the smug look on his face was proof positive that he was blissfully unaware of his danger.

"Let me tell you this, you little _twit_… As you are fool enough to threaten me with General Carlisle, I remind you that I have had a very long, very cordial, and _very_ 'productive' relationship with General Fremont. And in case it has escaped your notice, General Fremont _outranks _Carlisle. Further more, I believe that what you have done to Lieutenant Garrison's unit has been nothing short of the vilest sort of blackmail. And that by using substandard food and supplies to cut costs you open yourself to suspicion of embezzling funds from the section, and I will be looking into the possibility of bringing you up on charges. I suggest you gather your paperwork and marshal your bloody statistics, because I intend to launch an investigation of my own into your _mis_management of this section and that unit, and I have no doubt that in the end I will find that you have been neither '_productive_' nor '_profitable_.' I want you and your books in here tomorrow morning at eleven-hundred Colonel Wilhoitz. Now _get out!"_

ggg

"Have you read his file?" Actor had requested a meeting with the Colonel as soon as he'd left Garrison's bedside but he hadn't been summoned until today.

"Of course."

"May I?"

Actor hadn't really believed his request would be honored when he made it, and had to work to control his shock when Reynolds had flipped the switch on the intercom and issued his order. The Colonel was obviously as concerned as he was.

Reynolds studied the man who sat across from him. He was calm and pleasant, outwardly cooperative, and inwardly? Probably trying as hard as he could to protect his commander. He obviously knew, or thought he knew, something that he felt might be valuable but wasn't going to reveal it until he could determine just how much Garrison had already told them. All right, he'd give him what he wanted so he could make his decision. "Bring me Lieutenant Garrison's file please."

"Yes, sir. Right away."

Within moments Actor held the record in his hands and started scanning through it.

Reynolds shoved his chair back from the desk and stood. "I'll just leave you to it then, shall I?" but the other man gave no notice as he left the office, he was already absorbed in his reading.

ggg

Actor had seen Garrison's dossier, the pared down version that told of his military background, starting with West Point. But this was the full file that he held now. He was surprised Reynolds had handed it over so readily and then left him alone with it. Dark brows arched up in surprise as he read, taking special note of the dates of some of the Lieutenant's assignments,,, this explained a great deal. Most of what he saw he already knew, some the Warden had revealed, either directly or by his actions, some of it he had surmised, but some was totally new to him, and further confirmed his theory. He sat the file aside and considered what he would say to the Colonel. Moments after he'd made his decision the door opened and Reynolds walked back into the room. The man had developed exquisite timing since their first meeting.

Reynolds settled in behind his desk. Leaning back in his chair he waited.

"Colonel, have you ever studied psychology?"


	3. Chapter 3

ggg

"So you're saying he doesn't realize he's sick?"

It had only taken Colonel Reynolds moments to know he was out of his depth with this man and he'd called for reinforcements in the person of the doctor currently taking care of Lieutenant Garrison.

"What I am saying is that he discounts it. That he has conditioned himself to ignore it." Tapping his fingers on the file that lay between them on the desk he continued. "You have the answer here in this file but you don't understand it." Actor took a deep breath and continued. "It's nearly impossible for him to admit his true condition. From the age of four or five he was confined or physically punished for being anything less than 'Fine.' Illness or injury was something that wasn't allowed to exist by his grandfather. When they finally got away from him, and were making their way out of Europe, there was no time for it. When they reached American there was no money for it, and then his mother fell ill and died, he didn't have time for it again, and he had no one else that cared. At West Point, in Europe, and now in this unit it's something to be overcome as quickly as possible to get back in the field. If he's ill he keeps moving, if he's been injured he's treated and sent right back out, or his condition has been exploited for a mission." He fixed Reynolds with a steady stare, "You've done it yourself, more than once."

"What do you suggest?"

"That as long as you allow him to stay here in England he will not recover. Either he will continue to do things he feels he must," Reynolds was beginning to become uneasy under the unyielding gaze of Garrison's second "Or someone will find a way to make use of him, either by sending him out on a mission that he is not ready for or by capitalizing on his knowledge and ability as an analyst and advisor….. I am suggesting he be sent home."

ggg

"What do you think?"

"Colonel, I think he makes a valid point. And I think that as someone who works closely with Lieutenant Garrison he probably has better insight into his actual condition than I do."

"But to keep his illness secrete…. That's a serious breach of military directive, doctor."

"And if what that man just told us is true he doesn't even know he's doing it." The doctor leafed through the medical chart before laying it atop the personnel file that sat between them on the desk. "Colonel Reynolds everything in this file points to a condition that is deteriorating and I don't know why."

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to send him home where they don't have to worry about protecting the damned patients from nightly rocket attacks. I want to send him back where all they have to worry about is finding out what's wrong and fixing it."

Reynolds rocked back in his chair and studied the doctor, "Can they fix it?"

"I don't know. I hope so."

ggg

He'd been sent back to the estate again. The doctors agreed they couldn't do any more for him than give him medication for the pain and pills to help him rest. He could do that here and he could keep an eye on the men. The fact that they were keeping an eye on him at the same time was not lost on him. He'd just invited three of them to find somewhere other than his office to spend their morning. "Casino. Stay a minute, will you, I need to talk to you." Watching the others move out into the hallway Garrison motioned for Casino to close the door, and waited for him to come back and stand in front of him across the desk. "The last of the paperwork came through." He smiled up at the shocked expression on the other man's face. It had gotten past him! Wilhoitz couldn't stop this, not with Reynolds as an overseer, but he could have slowed it down to a crawl. He must still be too busy. Wilhoitz had his own troubles now and Garrison didn't feel the least bit sorry for him. "Transportation's been arranged for the end of the week."

Casino stood, speechless for several seconds. He couldn't believe it. He figured they'd have weeks, maybe even months, to wait. "So quick!? How's she gettin' there?" He'd started to pace as soon as he started to speak. "God, what if she's scared… Who's takin' her?" Turning on the Warden he jabbed the air in an almost threatening manner. "I'm not handin' her over to just anybody ya know!"

"Hold on! Hold on." Garrison laughed. "She's going by plane and she won't be scared… And you don't have to worry about who's taking her,,, because you're going to take her."

"Me?!" The safecracker's hands dropped to his sides as his eyes widened in shock. "They're lettin' me… But what if we get a…"

"There won't be any chance of that. Chief and Goniff still need some time to recover and they're rotating me home for a while… So there won't be any missions," The Warden's manner sobered. "there won't be enough of a team to send out. That's why they OK'd it." He didn't know where the idea that he needed to go home had come from. He could rest here, he could recover here, and he could still work. He didn't need to go 'home'. Why couldn't he make Reynolds see that? The only good thing about the whole deal was that since he'd be along they'd given the OK for Casino to take the little girl to his family himself.

Casino still couldn't believe it. She was goin'. _**They**_ were goin'. They were really goin'! He didn't care how, or why it'd been OK'd, They were goin'. "Well, that's great! I mean, not that Chief… It's not great that… Well you know what I… Jeeze! How am I gonna let them know? How'r they gonna know we're on the way?"

"Look, will you calm down a minute! We got clearance for a call through to your family. I've already sent the telegram, so they know, so they'll be home to get it. They'll ring through here when the connection's set up." Garrison turned his hand and checked his watch. "Casino! You better start breathing again, baby, and collect your thoughts, because you're going to be on the phone with them in about fifteen minutes."

"Jeeze! I gotta tell the guys!" There was a booming crash as the office door bounced against the wall as Casino charged through into the hall.

ggg

All of them were gathered in the Warden's office waiting for the phone to ring, counting down the minutes and seconds until it did. Casino told them in no uncertain terms that he'd go crazy if he had to wait there by himself. As he watched him from the chair next to the desk Actor thought the man had probably covered at least two miles pacing around the room in the short time they'd been there. Chief leaned against the wall near the windows and watched, a smile playing in his eyes as he worked his shoulder back and forth, doing the exercises the doctors had given him. Garrison, as usual, had a report in front of him on the desk. He wasn't getting anywhere with it as every time Casino made a pass by his desk he looked up. Goniff was perched on the corner of the Warden's desk, in front of the phone when it rang, and was knocked unceremoniously on his backsides as the safe cracker shouldered him out of the way and snatched up the receiver.

"Mari! Mari? Can you hear me? We got it, we got the OK! She's comin' and I get to bring her! Do you believe that?!. Mari! Can you hear me?!" The whole family must be gathered around that phone. They could hear them all talking and yelling at once, asking questions and laughing. Casino winced as his sister shouted for them to be quiet so she could hear. "Yeah! Do you believe that! ….. No I just found out. ……. The end of the week. …… Look I don't know all that. The Warden,,, ……. my boss, he just dropped this on me two minutes ago. I'll have to send a cable with the set up. ……….. We only got a couple minutes on here kid. ……..Yeah I know. ….. Tell everybody I love 'em and I'll,,, _**we'll**_ see 'em in a few days. …..Mari? Mari? Are you there?" The only sound that came across was the loud static of an open line.

Casino put the handset carefully back on the cradle of the phone and stood there in the silence for a moment before looking up at them. His face held a combination of joy and sadness, relief and fatigue. "That was my sister. I can't believe I just talked to my sister."

"And you'r gonna be seein' her in less than four days." Goniff grinned up at him from his position on the floor.

"Yeah." Their tough east coast criminal, their cool explosive expert, the man who had an opinion or an argument for every occasion could only stand there and stare at the phone. "Yeah." He swallowed hard and made a swipe at his eyes with the back of his hand before turning to head out the door. "I gotta go tell Jeannie!"

Garrison shot a look at Actor and waved towards the door. "I really think you'd better drive. I don't think he's actually seeing what's in front of him right now." As the aristocrat moved out he picked up the phone to arrange the car and give his permission for the gates to be opened for it. It wouldn't do for Casino to arrive with the MP's hot on his tail.

Actor breathed a silent prayer of thanks as he followed after Casino. He hadn't been sure the Colonel would listen to him when he requested time to talk with him about the Lieutenant, and he'd been convinced they would discount his concern when the doctor had been requested to come in and hear his suggestion.

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The pain in his side and the ache behind his eyes wouldn't let him sleep. They'd been around and offered pills to help, but he hated the way they made him feel. It was better just to stay awake. Jeanette was nestled against his left arm, stretched across his legs, her feet resting in Casino's lap. She'd pulled herself across there and fallen asleep when Casino got up, and when he'd come back offering to take her, Garrison had refused. She wasn't hurting anything and he didn't want to disturb her. Casino was watching him hold her, an eyebrow raised slightly. He shifted and turned to look out the window. He knew Casino had a soft spot for kids, but he wasn't so sure it was a good idea for the guy to find out he had one too. Smiling he reminded himself he'd probably tipped his hand way back when he'd let Sister Therese sucker him into bringing those kids out of France. Turning back he looked at the other man a moment before asking, "You come from a large family, don't you?"

OK, Casino laughed silently to himself, a diversion, "Yeah, I come from a big family. There were seven of us kids. Seven! Joey died though, when he was just a baby. He choked to death, but you know that already. There wasn't nothin' we could do for him. Ma took it real hard. He was the baby you know. It was real hard on her."

"What about the rest of them?" Garrison knew Casino came from a large family but he'd never figured out exactly where he fit into it.

"Well, I'm the next to the oldest boy. I got an older brother and an older sister, then there's a break a five years and the rest a the kids." He could tell the Warden was hurtin', he had that bruised look around his eyes. Talking helped, he knew that too, so he settled in. He liked talking about his family anyway. "My oldest brother's in the joint for B&E. He's doin' ten right now 'cause a partner a his turned him over to get a better deal on his sentence. Same thing happened to me. I was clear a that job if Eddie Richardson hadn't ratted me out to make a deal for himself." Casino laughed, "'Course you know that too, that's how I happened to be available for this little scam a yours."

Garrison coughed and had the good manners to look a little uncomfortable, before he prompted him to continue. "You have an older sister?"

"My sister? Aw, she's only a couple a years older, but you'd think it was ten the way she tries to take care of me! Wendi's married to a police officer of all things! Seems to be happy though, says he's good to her. She's got two little kids, a boy and a girl. Then there's the younger three. Angie, Marika and Stefan," he ticked them off on his fingers. "They're all good kids. Angie wants to be a nun! She's in trainin' in a convent in Virginia. God's gonna get a good one in her. You never met anybody cared more about people than Angie. And she's always been like that. Even when she was just a little kid we had to keep an eye on her or she'd had all her food, money, even shoes and clothes over to other people if she thought they needed it." Casino's pride was obvious in his voice.

"Marika is about the same, but she didn't want the church, she wanted kids. She ran away and got married when she was only sixteen. My folks almost went crazy. Jeeze! I thought the old man was gonna kill the guy, but she convinced him that she really loved him. It was pretty rocky at first, but now I can't imagine the family without Chris in it. Stefan, the youngest, he's still just a kid, still in school. He's given the folks fits right now, wantin' to join up. Says he wants to go to the Army and fight for his country like I'm doin'." Casino shook his head, amazed that his younger brother could still find it in him to admire somethin' that he was doin', that he'd want to follow in his footsteps.

The rest of the long flight was spent like that as they talked about relatives. Casino contributing the most as he described the various aunts, uncles, and cousins that made up his large extended family.

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The plane had finally come to a stop, they waited for the other passengers to go by and then Casino stood, lifting the little girl into his arms. He stepped back, waiting for the Warden to move into the aisle ahead of him. One of the nurses working the flight was waiting to walk with him to the door and down the stairs that had been rolled up to the opening when they landed, and see him into the car that waited on the tarmac down below. As he stood the Lieutenant slipped his hand into his pocket, turning he held it out to Casino. The safecracker looked down and saw a stack of bills folded neatly in half and an envelope. He looked up, "What's that for?"

"Train tickets, and the cab, food,,, stuff you two might need along the way." Garrison shrugged. "There's extra ration coupons in the envelope for your folks."

"Aw, Warden I can't take your money, and... You'r gonna need it. I got enough…"

"Don't worry, I won't be going anywhere for a while, by then the paymaster will have caught up with me. Besides," he said with a quick smile, "I won it playing poker..." Garrison tucked the things in the pocket of the man's jacket, "It's OK, I'll dock your pay if it'll make you feel any better." Smiling as Casino finally nodded his acceptance. "The phone number of the guy you're to report to is in the envelope too. He's expecting your first call on Monday."

"Just like a parole officer?"

"Just like that." Garrison said firmly as he searched the other man's eyes, "Don't screw it up Casino."

Casino shifted the child, still asleep on his shoulder, and looked back at Garrison. "Don't worry, Warden. I'm not gonna do anything to mess this up."

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Casino watched as the Warden turned and accepted the help waiting for him. That wasn't like him. He was always the one tellin' them he was fine, even when he wasn't, the one seein' to it that they were OK. Now he was worn out and sick, and while his voice still held that stubborn edge when he got mad, all the color had been washed out of him, burned out by the fevers. Even his eyes were different, lighter, like there wasn't enough blood in him to darken them into their usual hazel. The bones of his face and wrists stood out, and when he'd stumbled climbing the stairs to board the plane and Casino had put his hand out to steady him he'd been able to feel his ribs right through his jacket.

Casino'd been so caught up in getting the OK for Jeannette to come to his sister, and then getting her over here, he hadn't really noticed what kind a shape the Warden was in. Not until now. He'd considered a dozen different ways to die, shot down by a Kraut firing squad, gettin' blown up by one of his own charges, even crashing in one of those damn planes they used to get to their jobs, or goin' down in one a the subs. But just getting sick and burning away, had never crossed his mind.

A tremor of fear knifed through his chest. If somethin' happened to this guy they all knew the deal was over. None of them doubted they'd be on the first plane back to the States. The duration and six months! Not one of them trusted the Army brass to honor that agreement on their own, but every one of them trusted Garrison to fight for it, see to it that the government held up their end of the deal. And now it looked like there was a real chance he wouldn't make it,,, wouldn't be going back over there.

Casino watched as the Warden was helped into the back of an Army staff car and then looked up and scanned the area. He didn't know how they'd managed it, but it didn't surprise him to see the small group of people huddled just in front of the fence near the place they were off loading the plane's passengers. Leave it to Ma, she could talk her way in anywhere. He thought she'd probably give Actor a run for his money. Casino shifted the little girl in his arms, "Come on kiddo, wake up! It's time to meet the family." And he laughed as she turned her head and snuggled further down onto his shoulder.

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Garrison sat in the car and waited, the driver was out near the back of the plane waiting for them to unload his gear. As soon as he got it stowed in the back they'd be on their way. He watched Casino shift Jeannette on his hip and hand her over to the man waiting just inside the gate. 'Must be the brother-in-law,' he thought. That tall pale blonde didn't look like he fit into Casino's family anywhere... Neither did the redheaded woman that had just released him from an enthusiastic hug, or the two young fellows who were getting their hair mauled by their returning… what? Uncle,,, surely. He remembered Casino telling him that his brother's family lived with the parents now.

He continued to watch the group as the car pulled away, turning to keep them in sight. The two that had just gotten out of the car, they must be the parents. The way they just stood by, watching and enjoying the younger peoples' reunion, patiently waiting. The formality of the handshake between Casino and the older man that dissolved into a bear hug. The way his hardened east coast criminal turned towards the small dark haired woman that stood apart from the rest, bowing his head as she quietly embraced him...

The car made the turn off the field and out onto the road, and his view was blocked, but as he turned and settled back against the seat he could still see them.


	4. Chapter 4

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"My God!" She plucked at Casino's arm and nodded towards the staff car that had just turned off the field and onto the road. "Was that him? He's so thin, so pale." She'd watched as they'd come down the stairs, and seen how her boy had kept a worried eye on the young officer in front of him. She knew it could just as easily be her son in the back of that car, riding off to some hospital. "What happened to him?"

"Ma, I'm not supposed to talk about the stuff that happens over there."

"Don't be ridiculous! Where are the Germans who will find anything out from me? You tell me what happened to him," she turned and stood in his path, her fists planted firmly on her hips. If Garrison had been there he would have seen where Casino learned that stubborn stance. "I'm not moving 'til you do."

Casino took a deep breath, "Well first there was this explosion, and he got hurt,,, and the wound got infected, and then he just got worn out and sick. He's been losin' weight and had fevers and a cough for a while now. They did all sorts a stuff for him over in England, Ma, but I guess it's just not workin'. They'r gonna give the doctors here a chance at him."

She softened and reached out to take his arm, looking up into his face. "You know where they're taking him? Do you have a way we can check and make sure he's alright?"

"Yeah." Rawlins had come up with that, the Warden would a never thought of it. He would've kept track a them wherever they were, but he never would a thought they'd be just as concerned about him. "I got a telephone number for the hospital." He smiled at the look in her eyes and shook his head. "We can keep track of him."

He put his arm around her shoulders and turned her towards the cars. Marika and Chris already had Jeanette settled on Mari's lap in the front seat of their large car. Casino was going to ride back to the neighborhood with them, just in case the little girl needed the security and comfort of someone familiar around. Pop was taking Becky and the kids with him and he expected Ma to slide into the back seat behind Mari, but she surprised him by turning out of his grasp and reaching up to lay her hand on his cheek.

"You go with them. We'll meet you back at the house." She tilted her head towards her daughter sitting with the little girl cuddled in her arms. "She needs to get used to her new Mama right now." Then she raised an eyebrow and smiled. "My turn comes next!"

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It had taken two hours to make the trip back from the air field. Jeannette had ridden wide eyed and silent all the way home, leaning into Marika's shoulder as they covered the miles from the airport. When they'd turned into the neighborhood and she'd whispered 'all the houses are up' tears came to Mari's eyes as she realized how different the child's world had been until now. They'd decided that her first day or two she'd spend quietly, with just the two of them. She'd need time to get used to them and to the house, and the whole idea of being here, before they introduced her to the loud, loving crowd of family and friends who were waiting to embrace and welcome her. Her pleasure and amazement at the house finally broke her silence, but her rapid fire French was too fast for their beginners skill and it had taken Casino's loud laughing reminder of "English!" to stop the torrent.

"You make a little hill. No steps."

"It's called a ramp, honey. It'll make it easier for your wheelchair." Chris swung her up from Marika's lap and settled her firmly on his hip and headed around the house. "There's one up to all the doors. Wait'll you see the backyard." And he disappeared around the corner with her, leaving brother and sister to bring the little girl's things into the house.

Still sitting in the car Mari laughed and watched them go before turning to smile up at her big brother. "He's worse than I am! I can't believe you managed it." Throwing her arms around his waist she laid her head on his chest, squeezing him with all the strength in her. "I love you so much! I'm so glad you're here." A loud squeal of laughter drifting from the back of the house caused her to push back and look up into Casino's questioning face. "She's just been introduced to the biggest swing you have ever seen in your life! Help me out of this darned thing!" Starting for the door she called over her shoulder. "Come on, make yourself useful and haul her stuff into the house will you so we can get out there too. No sense in Chris having all the fun!"

It had only taken two trips to bring everything Jeannette had into the house. He brought one small bag that held the few clothes she'd been given by Mrs. Reid and another the new stuff the fellas had bought her as presents was in, and then the crutches that were too heavy and the wheelchair that was too large. Everything was soon in the room that had always been meant for a nursery, the room that sat next to Chris and Marika's. Casino looked around at all the love that had been poured into getting it ready and knew he'd done the right thing when he'd written Mari about the little girl. He wasn't sure at first, didn't know how'd she'd take to the idea, but now he was sure. Another shout of laughter from the backyard had him headed out the door and down the hall that led through the kitchen and out into the back.

Casino stopped short on the back porch. Mari hadn't been lying! It was the biggest swing he'd ever seen. And everything else! This wasn't a backyard anymore, it was a kid's fun park! Jeannie'd hit pay dirt. With an architect for a 'Dad' who had a builder for a father, anything anybody could dream up to build for her amusement was gonna be a done deal. When the door opened behind him and Mari came out on the porch he rounded on her.

"How'd you get all this stuff ready in time!?"

"Well it's not all new! Chris built the swing for me. I love it! And those bars. They're a heck of a lot of fun. See the supports? He just drilled a hole lower down and made them her size. We can move them up if I want to use them again. All the rest of it went up pretty fast. Pop, Stefan and the boys were here, and Ed's whole crew. The construction business came to a dead stop while all of this was going in! Did you see the house?" Shaking her head she answered her own question. "Of course you didn't' see the house, there hasn't been time. _Wait _'til you see the house. Chris put bars along the hallway and in her room, and put in a bathroom just for her. He tore out a section in the kitchen and put in a little counter so she can help me cook. It's got pegs in the wall and the cabinets on either side so we'll be able to raise it up as she gets bigger. I'm sure the neighbors are just as glad it's all done and she's here. Now they can finally have some peace and quiet and get some sleep at night!" Holding the platter she had in her hands out to him she said. "Here take this out to the table under the tree. I'll be right out with the drinks."

They'd spent the day playing with the little girl in the backyard, trying out all of the rides and toys that had been built for her. She'd worn herself out trying first the swing, then the bars, then riding on the contraption that looked like a miniature roller coaster. It was powered by a crank that Casino and Chris took turns on while she and Mari whooped and giggled as the car climbed to the top of the track, and then sped down the other side, bouncing them over all the smaller bumps in the circle before jolting to a stop at the bottom of the incline where they called out to be cranked up to the top again. When Chris had finally carried her into the house she was drooping in his arms, happily exhausted and nearly had to be propped up at the table to eat her dinner. A warm bath followed the meal and she was tucked up in her new bed, in her new home, deeply asleep and smiling.

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It was a two hour drive north to reach the hospital. Garrison hadn't been able to sleep in the car, tired as he was from the long flight over he was still too uncomfortable to find escape in sleep. When they'd arrived the driver handed him and his bag over to an orderly, saluted and left. Paperwork followed, and tests. Poking and prodding by a new set of doctors. X-rays, blood work, more paperwork, and another round of doctors. Finally he'd been shown to his room. Basic hospital gray and white, a bed on one wall with a small table next to it where his meal sat, untouched. There was a closet, and he had his own bathroom, but no chair or desk. 'Guess they really mean rest,' he thought as he sat on the side of the bed staring out the window at the trees at the edge of the hospital complex.

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"My God, Chris, she's beautiful!" Mari reached up and covered the hand Chris had placed on her shoulder as they gazed at the little girl sleeping in the bed they'd never thought would hold a child.

"See, I told ya. She looks just like you when you were little." Casino smiled from the doorway and watched as his sister and her husband stared at the treasure he'd brought them.

"I can't believe she's here." Chris squeezed his wife's shoulder and turned, leaving her to her vigil. He knew it would be days before she'd have eyes for anything other than this little girl. Moving out into the hall he drew his brother-in-law into the kitchen with a question.

"How did you ever talk them into it?"

"Oh that was mostly the Warden…. Lieutenant Garrison. Soon as I told him you wanted to do it he went to work on 'em. You should a seen the pile a papers we had to fill out. He even had the Sergeant Major workin' on it if we had to be away" He settled into the chair and leaned his elbows on the table. "I was kinda worried they wouldn't let you have her. You know, 'cause a me and Marcus."

Chris turned back from the stove where he was setting another pot of coffee to brew. "I was worried about that too." he said honestly. "They had a lady out here snooping into everything. Asking all sorts of questions about you guys. It must've made a difference, what you're doing for the Army, and Marcus taking all those high school classes. And Nick kinda balances you guys out." It always surprised him how easy it was to joke with this brother-in-law of his about his status as one of the black sheep of the family. "She started in on us next. Picked us to pieces over what we do, how we live, and how we thought we'd manage to take care of Jeannette." His freckled face crinkled up into a smile. "We sure got her with all that stuff in the back yard. Then she met my folks, and the rest of your family. Everybody in the neighborhood went to work on her, even the guys from the construction crew. She never had a chance!"

Jeannette wasn't the only one who was worn out. Casino thought he'd fall asleep and drown in the coffee that was sitting in front of him on the table. The long flight over, the excitement of being back with his family and the afternoon spent outside laughing and playing like a little kid… He was ready for someone to tuck him away in a bed too. "I better get goin'. Ma's gonna let me have it for bein' here so long."

"Are you crazy? Mari's fixed a room for you here tonight. She and Ma worked it all out. We thought maybe,,, well, you know, in case Jeannette didn't take to us." Chris smiled as that foolish thought went up in smoke. As soon as the little girl put her arms around his neck, when he took her from this brother-in-law of his at the airstrip, he'd known she was theirs. The way she'd snuggled against him, and then melted into Mari's lap… It seemed she belonged there, that she'd always been there, that she'd just been away a long time and was finally home.

Chris took the cup Casino handed him and set it in the sink. He filled his own mug again and smiled. There wouldn't be any sleep for him tonight. He'd spend the hours sitting by his wife, watching the little wonder they'd just received sleep and dream. He'd be there in case any hint of fear threatened her in the night. "I already took your bag back into the guest room. So if you're tired you can just go back in there and sack out."

Casino yawned and stretched as he got up from the table. "Yeah, that'd be great…. Wait! I gotta make a call first."

"Fine. The phone's in that little alcove in the hallway."

"It's gonna be a toll call…."

Chris laughed as he left the kitchen and walked back to Jeannette's room. "So leave your dime on the counter then!"

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Casino leaned against the wall in the hallway, reaching down into his pocket he pulled out the slip of paper the Sergeant Major had given him and set it on the shelf next to the phone. Picking up the receiver he dialed the operator and waited. "Hi. Yeah I need to make a long distance call." He read off the number and yawned. "Sure, I'll wait." Sliding down the wall he sat on the floor and waited for a connection.

He'd let the guys talk him into calling the hospital every few days to check up on the Warden. He'd have done it on his own, but it didn't hurt his image as a tough guy to make them argue him into it. He gave a derisive snort at that. Some tough guy! He was probably the softest touch in the mansion and they'd all worked together long enough, the others probably knew it. Still, he wished Mrs. Reid hadn't spilled it about playin' the clown for those kids. He'd had some real trouble from Goniff and Chief over that.

The voice on the other end of the line brought him up with a start. "Yeah!… I need to talk to somebody about a new guy you got up there today... A patient!? Sure, what else? Name's Lieutenant Garrison... Craig, yeah, that's the guy... Sure. I'll hold."

"Hi! Yeah, I'm callin' on Lieutenant Garrison. You got him up there, right?.. I just wanted to let somebody up there know that the War… the Lieutenant, he grew up talkin' German, see, so when he's sick, or hurt, or somethin', sometimes he… Yeah, that's right. I just didn't want anybody up there to get the wrong idea, ya know?….. No. I'm not… Well sorta, I guess. See he doesn't have anybody… No, his folks are dead, and there weren't any other kids, see. So, I promised the guys I'd check up on him…. The same unit? Sure, that's right. We're all in the same outfit. The Lieutenant, there, he runs it, he's the boss."

"What!?" Casino sat forward with a frown as he listened. "He did, huh. He doin' OK now?… You sure, 'cause…… Well, as long as you got it all under control. Say… It's OK if I call in on him, right?… OK! Thanks…... No! No, don't tell him I called. He's kinda stubborn, and he might get kinda mad if he found out…. OK. Thanks."

"What is it?" Chris watched him for a moment as he tried to land the receiver back on the phone from his position sitting on the floor, then he reached out and took it from him and did it himself. "Anything wrong?"

"Aw, the Warden took a dive once they got him up to that hospital."

"Everything OK? We could drive up there if you want."

"No. She said they had everything under control. Doctors figure he just got too tired out. He should be OK. I'm gonna call and check up on him tomorrow." Casino rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"Well, OK, but if you change your mind it's only about three, four hours from here."

"Thanks, but I'm probably the last thing he wants to see." He rested his head back against the wall and smiled up at Chris. "If I walked in the door up there he'd just think I was in some kinda trouble. He'd probably kill me before I got a chance to open my mouth."

Chris cocked an eyebrow and smiled back, reaching down he hauled Casino to his feet and placing a hand on his shoulder, turned him and gave him a shove towards the bedroom. "You better get some sleep or you're going to be taking a dive yourself. Then it'll be Ma after blood,,, and it'll be mine."


	5. Chapter 5

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Casino pulled the pillow over his head and held it down with both hands.

"Are you _**ever**_ going to get up out of there?" Mari pinched him on the shoulder again and then pulled the covers back and attacked, tickling his ribs until he had to come out from under the pillow for air.

"Hey! I just got back. You'r not 'spose to beat up on me yet!"

"There are rules about that?" She asked with a smile as he rolled out to sit on the side of the bed, the sheets pulled around him.

"Sure! Geneva Convention covers it somewhere." He yawned and stretched. "Covers makin' people starve to death too. When's breakfast?"

"Breakfast! You're kidding, right?" She turned and headed out the door, calling over her shoulder. "It's two in the afternoon, you slug. Now get up! Ma's already called three times wondering where you are. You've got to get out of here before she comes over and scalps me for keeping you too long………Ooops!…….

Casino heard her start to giggle and shot a panicked look around the room for his pants.

"………. Hi, Ma!"

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From the moment he walked in the door at home it seemed like there was an endless stream of neighbors, friends and family coming in and out to greet him. The ones that couldn't come in person were on the phone. Everyone they knew wanted to come and see him, make sure he was alright, that he was really out of prison, back from the fighting and OK. He hadn't realized how many people cared about him. His parents, and his brothers and sisters, sure! But there was a whole crowd in the house, all of them there to tell him what a great thing he'd done by bringin' Jeannie over, and to tell him how they'd been prayin' for him and hopin' he was alright. How they'd always known he'd turn things around. Made him a little uncomfortable, havin' that many people worryin' over him, expectin' stuff out of him.

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The light coming into the room was subdued. The nurse had dropped the shades before she left, telling him it'd be easier for him to get some sleep. The doctors had ordered complete bed rest, withdrawing the offer of a walk around the grounds after his knees had buckled on him out in the hallway again yesterday. Garrison punched the pillow, turned and tried to get comfortable, cursing under his breath as the IV in his arm pulled and stung.

What in the hell did they expect? Let one of them make that long trip over here, then sit through an endless stream of doctors and technicians who all wanted a piece of them. Let them answer question after question, give up every type of bodily fluid, and climb in and out of wheelchairs, and on and off exam tables, and see if their knees didn't give out on them.

Then they'd gone after him about the food... He wasn't hungry damn it! The stuff didn't taste any different from the plate it was sitting on anyway. Besides, they had him swallowing handfuls of their pills already. There wasn't room for anything else. When the damn nurse that just left had ordered him to eat, _**again**_, he'd finally lost it. He slid the tray back into her hands, and a couple of less than gentlemanly suggestions about just what she might do with it followed. She'd smiled sweetly, cut her eyes and turned on her heel and left…..but at least she'd taken the tray.

When the door opened on her again five minutes ago she had the order and the supplies... And a burly orderly at her back. He was now tethered to a bottle hanging from a pole next to the bed, and had to watch out so he didn't strangle himself when he moved.

Call if he _needed_ anything, she said. _Revoked_ bathroom privileges, she said. Yeah. Well, they'd just see about _that_ one.

**_Hospitals!_**

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Casino spent long lazy days getting to know his family again. It had been years since he'd seen them without a grate between them. Almost two years since he'd seen them at all. They'd tried to come visit when he was in the joint, but when things got tight and rationing had got rolling they couldn't make the long trip out, and there was no way a phone call was allowed, not even for an emergency. And then the Warden had picked him up and they hadn't even known where he'd gone off to. They'd just gotten the notice that he'd been transferred. It had been three months before any of the guys had been allowed to write a letter to anybody, and then it had gone through the censors, so that first letter, and the ones that followed had to be pretty bland. No details about where he was, nothing about what he was doing. He'd only been allowed to tell them he was with the Army now, working on a special project.

He'd managed to put his folks off about what he really did for the government since he'd gotten back but they were zeroing in on him. Each of them asking questions, gathering information from him, sharing it he was sure, before the next round of questioning started. They were sitting across the table from him now, waiting expectantly for him to come up with something. He stared down into the coffee cup he held in his hand and chewed on the corner of his lower lip as he wracked his brains for something he could tell them, and not get in trouble with the Warden. ….

As soon as he sat down at the table with them this morning he knew the sanitized version wouldn't pass inspection. They'd both know he was keeping information from them and they'd keep at him until they got their answers. Pop would go about it quietly, like he always did, outwardly accepting whatever he was told, just adding it to the knowledge he was gaining, using it to ask the next, more penetrating question. Ma would just stay in his face until he told her. And he knew if he lied to her she'd know and it……_Aw, hell! What's the use!_

"Look, we pull jobs for the government, OK? They want somethin' swiped, we go over and swipe it….."

His mother narrowed her eyes and looked at him for a moment. "So you aren't teaching soldiers how to break into safes?"

"No. Well, only one. The War… the Lieutenant, he's gettin' pretty good at locks, but I don't think he'll ever make a livin' robbin' banks." He tried to laugh it off as a joke, but she wasn't having any part of it.

"Is that how _**you're**_ going to make a living?"

"Not if I can help it Ma."

"But what you do… It's very dangerous isn't it? You've been hurt…?" She'd seen the scars on him as he'd scrambled into his clothes yesterday.

"No... Ma, they're real careful with us 'cause we're the only team they got that does this kinda stuff. And the Lieutenant, he plans things out real good before he lets us go in on a job…" He figured they didn't need to know if it was something that could be patched up. If he ever caught one that was bad enough to send him home permanent, then it'd be different. And if he bought it… He didn't even want to think about that. It was one thing to pop off with some sarcastic remark about foreign graves and body bags to the Warden, but sitting here looking in their eyes…

"I asked you if you've been hurt doing this…" She had every letter the Lieutenant had written her in a box upstairs under her bed. She knew every scar that had been added to his body before she'd seen him at Marika's.

"Only a couple a times Ma, and it wasn't anything…"

"You never said anything in your letters." She knew he didn't want to worry them, and she didn't want him to know that they did just that. Sitting here at home, not knowing exactly where he was, every bit of bad news that came through they imagined him in the middle of it…

"Uh…….Look,,, Ma. I really gotta make that telephone call. I promised the guys I'd keep checkin' up on him." He tried an innocent smile out on her. "You wanted to keep up with him too, remember?"

Casino managed to slip out of the kitchen and into the hall where the phone was. He took a deep breath and shook his head. Man, she was tough!, he thought, smiling as he reached for the phone. How in the hell had he ever managed to get into trouble in the first place?

He rattled the number off to the operator when he got her on the phone and leaned up against the wall to wait. "Yeah. I'm callin' to check up on a guy you got up there. Yeah. Lieutenant Craig Garrison. He came in a couple a three days ago and they put him over in building C, up on the third floor. OK, I'll wait." He smiled at her as she brought him his coffee and kissed her on the top of her head, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as she settled in next to him to listen.

"Hi. I'm just callin in on Lieutenant Garrison….. That's right. I called yesterday. You the one I talked to? Great! How ya doin'?" He listened for a moment and smiled as the voice on the phone recounted the gossip of the day. "That's good. How's the Lieutenant doin'?" Casino stiffened and frowned, causing his mother to glance up in alarm. "They what?!… That can't be very comfortable…. Oh. OK. They put him out for somethin' like that?…….. Isn't that kinda dangerous?… Yeah, well, I guess if it's for the best." When he relaxed back against the wall so did his mother, but he gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze anyway.

"How's he doin' with the bad dreams?…….. Good! So you got somebody? Good. What?… No. Just keep tellin' him that old guy's dead and buried, and he didn't have nothin' to do with it. They think this is gonna work? ……. Yeah? Well, I guess I'll call back then. What?… No! No, don't tell him I called." He winced as his mother pinched him on the arm. "OK, Jeeze! OK!! Tell him that I called when he wakes up, but tell him that I just wanted him to know that Jeannie's settlin' in real good. Yeah, just tell him that. Tell him I'm havin' a real good time with the family and there's nothin' to worry about……. OK? You on Friday?… Alright, I'll talk to ya then."

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When they told him what they were going to do it didn't sound like very much fun. It hadn't been. They'd set him on the side of the bed and draped him over the bedside table and then shoved a needle in between his ribs. Garrison thought it was probably easier getting shot. At least it was a surprise. Knowing somebody was walking around behind you with a sharp object, waiting to slide it into you somewhere, wasn't all that easy to sit still for. Didn't help to have that same damn little nurse standing in front of him, telling him it was for his own good!

He was drifting somewhere. Not asleep, but even as he struggled, not quite awake. He vaguely remembered them telling him they were going to give him something to help him rest…. Rest... He was beginning to hate that word. And something about Casino…..

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"They're sending that boy to another heartless hospital? He most certainly will _**not**_ go! You just get up there and bring him back home!" She'd turned her back on him and started slamming pots around on the stove.

It'd been more than three weeks. The reports Casino got from the nurse up at the hospital when he checked in hadn't been very good at first. They'd drained some fluid out of the Warden's chest a couple a times and it just came back again. The doctors tried some fancy experimental stuff on him, pouring the medicine right into his chest while they kept him out of it. Scared Casino enough that he'd taken a run up there and hung around in the guys room for a couple a days while he slept. Got the low down on what they were doin' right from the doctor. But, it seemed to have worked. Whatever they were lookin' at on those x-rays was clearin' up and he hadn't had a fever in three days now. "Ma, he's gettin' out of the hospital, this is a place to go and rest some more. And they probably got everything all worked out and…"

She rounded on him and jabbed a finger into his shoulder. "Then you tell them to work something else out! You tell them exactly what I told you to tell them, and you get him _**out **_of there and bring him home here were he belongs."

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When Garrison looked up he'd expected to see an orderly strolling in the door, ready to take him out to the transport to the next place they had lined up for him. He'd pretty well worn out this hospital, and even though he was headed for another one just like it he was ready for a change of scenery. He had to take another look to make sure he was seeing right.

"Casino! Is Jeanette alright? What's wrong, what are you doing here?"

"Aw, it's OK. I cleared it with that watch dog a yours." Casino held the door open as the nurse rolled the wheelchair in, smiling at her as she moved past. "He knows where I am."

"But what are you doing here?" he insisted frowning from the nurse, that same damn little nurse, didn't she ever take a day off?, to the man who stood shuffling his feet in the middle of the room.

"I come to take you back home with me." There was just a hint of belligerence in his safe cracker's tone.

"What?!" Garrison's jaw dropped. "No. I…. They're sending me up state…"

"Yeah! And as soon as Ma found out about that she had a fit."

"Found out? How'd your mother find out!?"

"You told the watch dog, the watch dog told me, and nobody has any secrets around Ma." The east coast thief prayed that Garrison had been talking to the guy like he said he would, checking up that he had been calling in, and hoped that he'd said something about the doctors' plans for him. He hadn't thought to ask the guy when he'd called and told him he was headed up here. "I swear those Intelligence guys could learn a lot from her! She can get anything outta anybody." Casino had started searching the room for baggage, anything to keep from meeting the Warden's eye.

"But I can't…" He frowned and fixed Casino with a black gaze. He hadn't told anyone anything. That little dictator of a nurse wouldn't let him anywhere near a phone. What was going on here?

"Look. You think I'm stubborn?" He finally stopped what he was doing and turned to face his commander. "Where do you think I got it!? She's gonna make my life miserable if I don't bring you back with me. So just do me a favor and come along quietly, will ya Lieutenant? It'll save me a whole lot a trouble." Casino threw his hands up, exasperated at the Warden's doubtful look. That little woman wasn't just going to make his life miserable, she was gonna kill him if he didn't pull this off. "I'll bring ya back here if ya don't like it. OK?" Then he fired his last, best, shot. "Alright! You can go on up to that place if ya want to," he paused for a moment. "but the food's way better at Ma's"

_That got him! _Casino smothered a triumphant smile.

"But the doctors..." the Lieutenant was still arguing, but there was just the hint of eagerness in his voice. "I already have my orders."

"Are you kiddin'! She's been workin' them over for two days on the phone! They'll probably be glad to see the back side a you. It's all arranged. Now come on," Casino tossed Garrison his jacket, shouldering the bag he'd found in the closet as the Warden settled himself in the chair and the nurse started it rolling towards the door. He winked at her over the Lieutenant's head as she moved past him into the hall. "Let's get the hell outta here."

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The house and neighborhood had come as a surprise. Casino talked so tuff and used so much street slang he'd just assumed he was a product of the inner city. A tenement kid who played stick ball in the streets and hung out on the corner around the lamp post with 'the guys.' But this was a broad street with houses set well back from the road and large trees cast deep shade over the sidewalks. The places were older but taken care of with obvious pride and the activities on the street watched with interest by the neighbors. Several greetings had been called out to them when they'd pulled in and as they were making their way up the walk to the front door. There was a ramp leading up onto the front porch too, obviously they'd been busy getting ready for Jeannette to arrive. That addition to the house made him know, before the door ever opened, that he was going to like the people who lived here.

"Papa, Ma, this is my boss, Lieutenant Garrison." Casino sat the bag just inside the door and watched as his father reached out and gravely shook the Warden's hand, then smiled as his mother reached up and pulled the startled officer down so she could land a kiss on his cheek. "Warden," he chuckled, "meet my folks."


	6. Chapter 6

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Casino's mother was tiny, only five foot tall and only then if she stretched up onto her toes, but she took charge immediately. "You take that down into the extra room." Casino was sent off down the hall as she took Garrison by the hand and drew him inside with her. "Come in Lieutenant, it's so nice to meet you. Just come into the kitchen with me, I have a nice lunch all set out for you. You must be hungry." Even if he wasn't hungry, she thought, this young man needed feeding! As they entered the large room where the family always gathered she gestured towards the table. "You just find a spot over there and I'll be right with you."

"Thank you Ma'am, but please don't go to any trouble."

"Nonsense! I have to feed Josef before he goes to work, so the food is already here, all you have to do is eat it." The table was set with dishes and glasses and she began filling up the center with platters and bowls from the ice box. "He has to work the second shift this week so we eat early…. I hope you don't mind leftovers."

"No Ma'am."

Casino's father spoke up for the first time, "It's a good thing, because she'll feed this to you again tonight, when the boys come from school." He ducked the slap she directed at the back of his head as she moved behind him to the counter to pick up a plate of bread and cheese smiled, and turned to watch her with obvious affection.

They'd spent their time over the meal exchanging small talk, leaning about each other, feeling their way towards friendship by the questions they asked and the answers they gave.

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"Aw man! Now you've done it!" Casino laughed at the Warden's puzzled expression. "You've just given her some very powerful ammo there."

Pouring coffee in the cup she'd set in front of him as soon as they'd finished eating she looked up at her son with a smile, "Be quiet! Lieutenant don't you listen to him."

"Ma you'r not playin' fair. He didn't have anybody to teach him the rules."

Garrison frowned and stared across the table at the man who was obviously teasing him. "Rules? Casino, what are you talking about?"

"You never let them know your middle name."

Totally mystified now, he asked. "Who?!"

"Mothers! They'll use it against you. I swear Warden you'll live to regret this."

"You just drink your coffee and stay out of this." She had finished filling Casino's cup and slapped him on the shoulder as she turned to set the pot back on the stove.

"You just wait." he cocked an eyebrow at the Warden and raised his cup. "You'll find out."

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"Now Lieutenant you look tired. I want you to go and take a little rest."

He'd been given the room down at the end of the main hall. There was a bathroom attached and from the height of the sink and door pulls he had his suspicion that it was Casino's parents' room, modified for his mother diminutive stature, but when he protested he'd been assured that theirs was upstairs with the rest of the family and this had been built for company. As he moved his few things from the bag into the closet and dresser he listened to the muffled sounds of a family going about the business of living.

It was fairly quiet now with only three of the family home. There were more, usually a lot more according to Casino. His sister-in-law and her two boys had come to live here after his older brother, Marcus, had been sent to prison, but she was at work and the boys at school. And the younger sister, Marika, the one who'd taken Jeannette in, lived just a short distance away and spent a great deal of time there. The youngest brother would be home at the weekend. He was taking some sort of special training course with the oldest sister's husband and they lived too far away for him to make it home every night.

The position of the room in the house insulated him from them but didn't isolate him. He could hear the murmur of their voices as they sat talking in the kitchen and the sound of their feet as they walked down the hall. The floor upstairs squeaked so he knew when someone was up there, at least over this end of the house. There was a screen door, must be in the back of the house because he was sure they hadn't come through one when they got here, that slammed and bounced, hitting three times before it settled when someone moved through it.

And then there was the sound of the neighborhood itself. Children who were too young to be in school played in the yards of the houses around them, and there was a regular camp following of dogs that barked along with them, keeping an eye on things and reporting back to the mothers who were inside cleaning or cooking, or just visiting with their neighbors as they worked in their gardens. The chickens were a bit of a shock. Casino hadn't known about them until he'd got back, but his mother explained over lunch that they were easy to keep, eating scraps from the table and bugs out of the vegetable gardens, and the eggs filled out their diet and made the rationing easier to deal with. Most of the families had at least a few. She said the two boys were always hungry and she'd been able to keep up with their need to eat by keeping the birds. She had a hen raising a brood now and told them they'd be replacing the older members of the flock who were destined for the roaster and the stew pot. Some people kept rabbits, but she said they were too cute and she couldn't bring herself to kill them. The chickens, with their 'beady eyes' didn't have the same effect on her. And there were two cows in the neighborhood! The families had gone together to buy them and shared the expense of their keep, along with the milk, butter and cheese they provided. The old couple at the end of the block had originally been from the country and enjoyed having the animals around even though they refused their share of the provender. There was some talk of getting some goats and possibly a pig or two now.

He hadn't planned to go to sleep when he stretched out on the bed, but he did. Casino's mother carefully opened the door and looked in before she started on the nightly ritual of closing up the house. She'd been a bit worried when the Lieutenant had slept through dinner but her son convinced her that sleep was probably more important for the young Army officer now and she'd finally relented and fixed a plate and left it in the ice box hoping that if hunger woke him and drove him to the kitchen he'd find the note she left for him on the table.

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If the home he'd grown up in had come as a surprise to Garrison, Casino's younger sister Marika was a revelation. She and her husband Chris arrived for dinner on the second day, bringing Jeannette with them. Chris carried Jeannette to the door where she joyously greeted him again and told him he was too skinny, then giggled with delight as her new found Papa Grand transported her into the kitchen atop his broad shoulders. After shaking hands briefly Chris turned back to the car to help his wife up to the house. Marika was tiny and dark like her mother with a broad forehead and wide almond shaped eyes that sat over a small mouth that seemed permanently curved up in a smile. She exuded a calm self assurance and immediately put him at ease by reaching out to shake his hand and ask how he was enjoying his stay with the family. Garrison had to drop into a crouch to meet her eyes as she smiled up at him from her wheelchair. The ramps that led to the doors, the lowered counters in the kitchen and bath hadn't been newly placed for Jeannette to use as he'd assumed, they'd been constructed so this younger daughter could have ready access to the house and help with the chores in the kitchen. The bedroom that had been constructed on the ground floor for 'company', the one they'd put him in, was probably the room she used when she lived or visited here.

"I was glad my brother and Mama hatched this plot to have you stay with the family Lieutenant. I wanted to thank you for your help in bringing Jeannette to us."

So Casino's mother twisted his arm to get the doctors' plans from him, and then she'd brow beaten him into bringing him down here, and he hadn't had anything to do with it. Garrison smiled to himself, that hadn't sounded quite right when the safe cracker was pitching it up at the hospital. "I was glad to help. And I can see what he meant about you two looking alike. She could be your daughter."

"If I have anything to say about it, she will be." The light that flashed in her eyes told him that the only thing that would stand in the way of an adoption would be someone from the little girl's family being found and stepping forward to take her.

Over a relaxed evening and dinner Garrison discovered Casino's young sister and her husband were easy to like. Both of them were open and friendly, offering details of their life before he could even think of the questions. When he asked them how they'd met Marika explained that she knew when she'd first seen Chris that he was the man she wanted to marry.

"I'm afraid I found out where he lived and then went back in the morning and followed his father to their business and got myself a job there so I could be close to him. It took me four months to convince him that we should get married and another two that we should go out of state and come back as man and wife." She threw an affectionate glance at her parents sitting hand in hand at the head of the table. "I knew the family would object…not to the marriage as much as to my leaving school." She contracted polio 18 months after her marriage and only 4 months into her pregnancy. "When they told me that I wouldn't ever be able to have children… I thought I would die. Every dream I ever had of the future had a big house, like this one, filled with children. To have all of that taken away, I didn't know how I could go on, but after I stopped pushing him away Chris convinced me that we would have to be enough, just the two of us. And then he told me with a completely straight face that he could be just as childish as I needed him to be!"

Chris was seven years older than Mari and according to him that nearly got him killed when Pop found out his daughter had married an 'older man'. "I couldn't believe it when I went in that day and saw this tiny little thing sitting at the desk in Dad's office. I was working there while I went to college and was taken with her right away, I mean how could I resist? But I couldn't figure out how she was going to get anything done around there. The way the place is set up there's a whole wall of cabinets with file drawers in them, I mean floor to ceiling, and look at her. I have to tell you Lieutenant she isn't much taller when she stands on her feet!" By the spark of irritated humor that flashed in her eyes this was obviously a long standing tease of his and, regardless of the wheelchair and braces, he had decided it was too good, and too true, to give up on just because of a little thing called polio.

"I came in one day and she had drawers pulled out in order and had made herself a set of 'stairs' up to the top row and was rooting around up there looking for some contract that Dad couldn't find. Another time I got there and she'd brought a set of jacks in from the lot and was using them to stack boxes in the back. She'd lift one side of it and then go over to the other side and do the same thing. She'd worked back and forth like that until she got the box up where she wanted it and then she just shoved it onto the shelf." Reaching out and putting his large hand over hers he continued with pride. "Now when she tells me she's going to do something I don't have any doubt that she'll do it."

After they got married he continued to go to school part time and worked full time with his father to support them. When she contracted polio and lost their baby his father convinced him to bring her back to live with them and go back to school full time so he could end up with a good enough job to take care of her. He was now an architect and also held an engineering degree. With his education and his father's experience and contacts in the construction trade they were beginning to build a successful business, even with the restrictions imposed by the war.

When her father-in-law offered to let them live with him and send Chris back to finish his education Marika had helped convince him to accept the offer. "It was a perfect match and Chris had grown up in the business. I knew he and Ed would end up working together anyway. Now Chris works up the designs and Ed and his crew build them. Ed knows what to expect and Chris knows he's got good craftsmen that will put a quality product together." As soon as Chris' education was complete and he started earning decent money she decided to go back to school herself and complete her high school education. She was now taking classes that would eventually allow her to work with troubled children. Her greatest concern was his guilt at being left at home when all of his friends and cousins were signing up or already involved in the war effort. "Maybe you can convince him that somebody has to stay home to keep the country running, get everything ready for when all of this is over and you all come home again."

Chris knew she depended on him, even if she was stubborn and capable enough of doing almost everything for herself, but he was still having a hard time believing that injury he'd suffered to his right eye as a child, that left him partially blind was the blessing she claimed it was. He still felt that he wasn't fulfilling his obligation to the country, to go over and fight along with the rest of his friends and family. It was a little easier now that Jeannette was here, but he still felt a little like a slacker.

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"You ready to go?"

"Sure." Garrison shoved the chair away from the table and stood, picking up their cups he walked over and sat them in the sink. He'd tried to wash a dish that he'd used yesterday and been thoroughly dressed down for it. He knew better now.

Casino stepped into the doorway raising his voice so he could be heard down the back hall. "Ma! We're goin' over to Mari's to check up on Jeannie." The two men walked out of the kitchen and headed towards the front of the house.

"Craig Fredrick Garrison!"

They both stopped in their tracks. The Warden turned to stare at him, eyebrows raised, a look of surprise on his face.

"See." Casino shrugged, "You didn't believe me, but I told ya."

He was right. Hearing all of it strung together like that froze him on the spot and made Garrison feel like he was about five years old. His mind raced back through all the things he'd done that morning searching for any transgressions. He smiled at the impulse to check his trousers for a tear and his shoes for mud, and couldn't stop himself from glancing down to see that his hands were clean! He squared his shoulders and turned back towards the kitchen, "Yes Ma'am?"

She was just walking in the door on the opposite side of the large room, carrying a basket she'd used to collect the mornings offering of eggs in from the yard, and she was wagging a finger in his direction. "You're not going without breakfast young man. Now you come back in here and sit down while I make you two something decent to eat. A cup of coffee and out the door!" She tilted her head back to look up at him. "No wonder you're so thin. Look at you! You aren't supposed to have bones sticking out of you like that!" She turned back to the stove mumbling under her breath as she set to work.

A shove from Casino started him moving. Well, he thought, she was definitely in charge. And like her second son had said, it was probably a lot easier to just go ahead and do like he was told. He pulled the chair out and sat down. Besides, whatever she was doing over at that stove smelled pretty good.


	7. Chapter 7

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The boys had come back in the middle of the afternoon. She could tell from their windblown, sunburned appearance they'd spent all day outside playing with Jeannette. Well, the quiet young Army officer looked like he could do with a little time to relax and play, but as thin as he was, she hoped Marika had thought to feed him lunch. In any case, a little snack before dinner certainly wouldn't be wasted on him, and the kids would be home soon, she always put something out on the table for them.

"You boys come in here and have a bite to eat."

"You'r gonna be lucky if you can still fit in your pants by the time she lets you outta here." Casino walked over to the stove and picked up the ever present pot of coffee, filling the cups that sat on the table as the Warden took his seat. When his mother turned from the ice box and he saw her offering Casino cringed as she sat the plate down in the middle of the table. "Oh God! Ma, get that outta here! If I have ta' eat that I'm gonna heave!'

She looked at her son and then at the platter of cheese and bread. "What are you talking about?"

"Seems like that's all we ever get when we're working a job over there." His voice took on a plaintive tone. "Don't you have some kinda meat somewhere? An old sausage? Even some eggs would be better'n this!"

She glanced at the Lieutenant, he was looking down at the coffee cup he held cradled in his hands, and he was trying not to laugh. Shaking her head she took the plate up and turned back to the ice box. Covering the platter with a cloth she sat it back inside and pulled the paper package she'd brought from the butcher out. Lighting the stove she sat her large iron pan to heat and tore the paper revealing the sausages she thought she'd be cooking for breakfast in the morning.

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They were collected around the table again. It seemed the life of this family revolved around the kitchen. They were lingering there, satisfied with their dinner and the condition of their stomachs, talking. "We're mutts. I mean we got somebody from almost everywhere in this family. Pop's grandparents came over from Poland, but his Mom, my gram's Czechoslovakian. Ma's were from all over, Italy, Russia, Romania. You name a country over there in the middle a that mess and she can name a relative that came from it."

"With all of that in the family, why don't you speak anything other than English?"

"Well, I guess I know a bunch a words from a bunch a different languages, cause a the family. But they're just family words ya know? I couldn't talk to anybody but a grandma or somethin' with 'em. Some of 'em I know'd probably get me put up in front of a firin' squad!" He laughed across at his mother "Besides you and Actor got all that covered."

Cringing at the reference to firing squads she turned to address the Lieutenant. "You can speak different languages Fredrick?" She'd settled on his middle name, she said it suited him.

"Oh yeah, Freddy here can speak a lot of 'em" Casino smirked at him over his cup and then winced as his mother slugged him in the arm.

Garrison watched them for a moment, shaking his head and smiling, before he answered her, "Me? I speak German, I can get along in French and Italian, and I can get into trouble in Greek. I got in with some street kids while we were staying there."

She was watching him with her mothers' eye and ability to smell a cover up, "You mean you _**got into trouble with some street kids **_while you were staying there." She filed the 'staying there' away in her memory. She'd find out all about that in a minute…

He glanced down at the cup of coffee in his hands and smiled as he looked back up at her, "Let's just say I have some first hand experience with some of the things my guys can do…."

Casino snorted. "Well, well, well. I wondered how you picked up on all that stuff so fast. Wait'll I tell the guys!"

She watched the color bloom across the young man's cheeks, turning on her son she fixed him with the stare that she always used on the boys, the one that let them know she meant business. "You'll do no such thing. It's for him to tell his story to them if he wants to, not you. You stay out of it."

Casino raised an eyebrow and then shrugged, she was right, besides it was enough that he knew, but he'd throw the threat out anyway, just to keep the guy off balance. "I don't know, this might be too good to keep to myself."

"Casino! I told you to be quiet." She looked across at Garrison's confused expression as she settled herself at the table again. Knowing her son, she knew the reason for that look. "I don't suppose he's ever told you just how he got that nickname?" she asked sweetly.

"Ma!" There was a hint of warning in her son's voice.

Garrison shot a look at his explosives expert and saw a mixture of apprehension and humor on his face. This might be an interesting story… "No Ma'am. All of the men use them. They just seem to go along with what they do. I assumed it was because of the gambling."

"Well" She laughed quietly into her coffee, "gambling was involved."

"Hey! How come when it's him" Casino jabbed a finger in Garrison's direction "it's _HIS_ story to tell?!"

"Because this isn't your story! This is our story, your fathers and mine. So you just sit there and be quiet." Casino settled back in his chair with a resigned smile as she looked up and started the tale. "After Marcus and Lawenda were old enough for us to leave them with my parents Josef got the money together to take me for a week at the shore. We had a lovely room with a view of the ocean and we were going to walk on the sand, and eat fried clams, and just have some time to ourselves. There was a gambling house on the boardwalk though and that drew him in…." She raised an eyebrow and continued. "It wasn't just him either. The lights, the music and all the people… It was exciting. It looked like fun. And, at first we won some money." She smiled remembering their foolishness. "As soon as we were hooked they took us for every penny we had. There went the lovely room, the ocean view, the sand _**and**_ the fried clams. One night we had there, and then we had to beg money to wire my parents so they could send us enough to get home. Nine months later" she nodded in the direction of her second son. "we had him. Josef said we'd managed to win big at the casino after all and took to calling him 'the casino baby'. The story was so good everyone else took it up too and as he grew up he got to be Casino Boy and then" she shrugged, "just Casino."

"You don't believe that one, do you?" Casino asked hopefully.

Garrison looked from mother to son. "Casino, you're not trying to convince me your mother would make something like that up,,, are you?" He sat back in his chair and laughed. "Of course I believe that one!"

She beamed across at him,,, such a nice young man. "You said you spent some time in Greece. Is your father in the Army like you? Did your family travel a lot?"

"Ma! Lay off the guy for a while." Casino leaned his elbow on the table and shot his mother a meaningful look. "Look, Warden you don't have to…"

"My father died when I was only three or four. Mother's family lived in Germany so we went over and stayed with them for a while. When we left we traveled through Austria and Yugoslavia and down into Greece. We came back to the States from there."

Casino thought that was a pretty cleaned up version of what they'd found out over in Germany. He got up to take their stuff to the sink and realized he'd never thought to ask how in the hell they'd gotten out of Europe. He just took it for granted they went somewhere along the coast of Germany or France, bought a ticket and climbed on a boat and beat it.

There was something in the Lieutenant's voice, and her son was sending urgent 'Do Not Enter' signals from his position behind him. Obviously there was more to this, and he knew it. She'd get it out of him later and she changed her line of questioning. "All of that time traveling, all of the things you must have seen. Where did you live when you got back?"

"We stayed in the New York area. There were so many people coming in from Europe by then and they needed people who could speak the languages. Mother could. It seemed like all she had to do was hear a language and she could pick it up. She was qualified to teach too. She'd managed to get that far before she got pregnant with me and had to quit school."

"Does your mother still teach? Where is she now?"

"Ma! That's enough."

"Casino, it's alright." He understood what Casino was trying to do for him and appreciated the effort, but he found that it was easy to answer her questions and for the first time he didn't mind talking about it. He smiled, Casino was right, she could probably get anything out of anybody. "Mother died less than a year after we got back to the states."

"I'm so sorry." She reached across and laid a hand on his arm. "What did you do, where did you go?"

"I tried to stay on my own in the flat they'd set us up in but the neighbors turned me in…." he shrugged as he explained. "There was a real shortage of space, I guess they didn't think one kid in an apartment alone was a fair deal. Anyway, the Children's Society picked me up and I spent some time in one of their facilities. Before she died Mother had gotten the money together and hired an attorney to look for Dad's people, and he managed to track me down. After he showed on the scene they put me out in a foster home, couple of them actually. He finally found some of Dad's cousins that were willing to take me and I went out to California to live with them."

"Why didn't you go to them when they let you out of the hospital?" She knew very well how far it was out to California but surly the Army could've gotten this boy out there so that he could be with his own family. It seemed to her that he'd been through enough to earn at least that much.

He looked away wondering what to tell her, then smiled, Casino was right, she could probably smell a con a mile off. He settled on the truth, "My cousin's wife wouldn't have wanted me out there." He hurried his explanation as her eyes narrowed in disapproval. "Besides, they aren't there anymore. My cousin was posted to Hawaii."

Garrison sat there a moment, remembering meeting Madelyn at the train station that first time. Somehow he'd convinced himself that he was going to find family at the end of the trip across the country. His mother had kept a warm, loving image of his father alive for him in her stories about him and, in his fifteen year old heart, he'd transferred that image onto the unknown relatives that were waiting for him at the end of the line. It had taken mere seconds for Madelyn to disabuse him of _those _childish hopes.


	8. Chapter 8

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There had been no one waiting to meet him as the train pulled in. The conductor had come and taken him off, leaving him in one of the deserted offices of the station with his bag. And he'd waited… And waited...

He watched the hands of the clock on the wall as the time crawled by and wondered what he'd do if no one came to claim him. He had some money in his pocket. The lawyer had seen to that when he'd put him on the train, giving him enough to purchase his meals and a little extra for magazines. He didn't eat much, and made do with the cast off newspapers and magazines the other passengers left on the seats when they were done with them. And he'd been able to change the passage from a sleeper to a regular seat once they'd gotten started, and had added the refund to his stake. He could make the money last a long time, and he knew how to get more… if he had to. He just didn't have any idea where he was. The station was a big one and it seemed to be surrounded by industrial buildings and groves of fruit trees. If he took off he didn't have any idea which way to go to the nearest town. He'd discounted asking the station personnel, knowing from past experience that it didn't do to have anyone in authority know too much about him. About the time he'd decided he was going to have to make some sort of move he'd heard voices in the hall outside the door. Anger and irritation was evident, even from a distance.

"In here?" he heard, and then the door opened on a woman about ten years older than his mother had been when she'd died. Stiffly upright, dressed in fine fashionable clothes, her black hair twisted into a stylish knot at the nape of her neck she was nothing like his mother. She was striking and he thought her face might have been beautiful if it had ever learned to smile. She gave him one cold appraising look, "You were supposed to be waiting on the platform." And then she turned to the attendant who had escorted her to this meeting. "If _that's_ all he's got bring it along to the car." Turning on her heel she left. The young attendant raised his eyebrows and gave him a sympathetic half smile before he grabbed up the bag and followed her.

It didn't take him long to get moving. He didn't want to follow that woman. He didn't think he wanted to have anything to do with her. But he didn't have any choice. Everything that was his in the world was in that bag the attendant had. He thought about making a run for it, snatching the bag from the guy's hands and just taking off, but before he came to a decision the bag was safely locked in the trunk of a large black sedan. She'd already climbed behind the wheel and sat, imperiously waiting for him to get in the car. The attendant stared at her a moment and then turned expectant eyes on him. He considered the hopeful look on the face that wasn't much older than his, and then reached down into his pocket for the precious change that was there. Handing over the money he accepted the young man's thanks, and heard him as he whispered "_Good __Luck_" under his breath.

Madelyn had started the car away with a screech of the tires before he'd even gotten the door closed. After driving in silence for nearly an hour she'd started talking, laying down the rules, letting him know how he'd disrupted her plans. It seemed the message from the lawyer had come just as his cousin had received his orders to ship over to Hawaii. They'd had an argument over what they were going to do about him. She was all for telling the lawyer to keep looking for someone else, but his cousin told her it was their duty to look after him and if that meant she had to delay joining him, then that's what it meant.

Madelyn didn't take to having her plans changed.

She didn't enjoy being a military wife, but she was looking forward to this post. Her husband had finally made his way up the ranks to a position of authority and importance, and, as his wife she'd be important too. She wanted the power that came with that position,… she'd earned it. And now, here he was, delaying her. Well, as soon as she could manage it, he'd be off to boarding school, and she'd be on her way.

That was fine by him. He'd been in boarding school before, he knew what that was like. He'd turned and watched her as she drove, frowning, thinking that he'd sure made a big mistake when he'd agreed to get on that train back east. Glancing at him and seeing that frown before he could look away, she'd lashed out with her hand and clipped him on the side of his face. They drove the rest of the way in silence, both of them staring straight ahead.

She hadn't been able to find a school that would take him. Hopelessly behind in some subjects, too far advanced in others, he didn't fit in anywhere and they were stuck with each other while the tutors worked with him.

There was an uneasy, silent truce between them as he worked to even out his education. The only time he relaxed was when she left to visit his cousin over in the islands, or for one of her extended stays with one of her daughters. By the time the tutors declared he was ready to take entrance exams he'd set his sights on the military academy at West Point. A week after he'd taken the exam, weeks before he'd know the outcome, her bags were packed and she'd left for Pearl leaving him to pack up the house. Three days before he found out he'd been accepted he'd nailed the last crate closed and the movers hauled it out to be shipped across to Hawaii. He spent the last month of the summer in a deserted house, and celebrated his seventeenth birthday by buying a train ticket that would take him back across the country.

'No,' he thought. 'His cousin's wife wouldn't have wanted him out there…. And that was the _last_ place he would have wanted to go.'

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She turned away from the young man sitting lost in thought at the table and looked at her husband, her eyes narrowed, blinking at the tears that threatened. He knew what she was thinking. How could anyone turn their back on a boy that was all alone in the world like this one seemed to be. He knew what she was feeling too, he saw it in her eyes and the set of her mouth as she sat tapping her fingers on the table…. The young man was a stray, just like all the others and she was going to take him in. He smiled at her and shrugged. What was one more after all.

He pushed his chair back and stood, lifting her hand off the table he turned it up and kissed the palm as he did any time he got ready to leave her, and then looked down into her dark eyes. She was the one who taught him that the more love you gave away the more you got back. When the baby had died and he thought he would die with him, she was the one that insisted through her own pain that he go on living, teaching him that the love they had for Joey was free now, to be used for the rest of the kids, their friends, and any child in the neighborhood that needed it. More joy surrounded this one small woman than he ever believed possible and he counted every day with her, even through their troubled times, as a blessing.

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"So what was all that about living in Germany?"

Casino sighed he knew she wasn't going to let it drop until somebody told her and figured he'd spare the Warden at least that much by filling her in. "You should a seen that place over there Ma. That family had money… but the old bastard was crazy and mean."

"What do you mean?"

"Guy we met there, he knew 'em. He told us the old man beat up on 'em,,, both of them, but him mostly. They had to fight to get out of there." Leaning his hip against the counter and absently picking up a towel he told her about the conversation Actor'd had with Garrison when they'd ended up using his family's place in Germany. All the rules and punishments the guy had to live with there and at the schools and camps when he was growing up.

"That's horrible."

"That's not the worst of it." Quietly he explained about the last battle the Warden had fought there in that kitchen. "All this time the Warden thought he killed the old guy."

He was leaning against the counter in the kitchen, drying dishes as she handed them to him, just like when he was a kid, as it dawned on him. "I guess I just never expected to feel sorry for the guy is all." Casino couldn't imagine the beatings the Lieutenant had taken as a kid. His own folks meted out punishment when he'd stepped out a line, sure, but if it was ever more than a quick slap and a good dressing down he'd forgotten it. They'd never used a belt or strap on him in his life. Never. And whatever they did they'd always followed it up with forgiveness and he never doubted they loved him through all of it. And now finding out how much of a struggle it'd been for the guy gettin' back to the States. Living rough, probably goin' hungry, learnin' how to steal to stay alive. He'd seen enough over in Europe to know what the life of a refugee was like even if the Warden glossed it over... Havin' nobody to care about him…no family…

"It's just crazy, y'know. I mean, all that education and going through West Point, bein' an officer and stuff. He's a real hero, Ma, got medals for bravery and everything. But he doesn't have anything that counts." Casino pulled his mother into a bear hug and kissed the top of her head. "Not like I got. And all that stuff about when he got back here. I never knew none a that. We just never asked him."

She put her hands on his chest and pushed back so she could look up into his eyes. "You like this young man, don't you?"

He thought a minute, "Yeah. I guess I do." He smiled down at her, "Just don't let him know, it'll ruin our relationship."

She slapped at his shoulder, leaving a wet print of her hand on his shirt sleeve, and turned back to the sink. "_**You **_make sure he knows it. It's one of those things that counts."

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"What?" He'd caught Casino staring at him again. They were on their way over to his sister's place and had stopped so he could catch his breath. ..Again… The doctor's said everything was clearing up when they let him out of the hospital, but he still couldn't seem to go more than a block or two before he had to rest. Time. The doctor said he just needed to give himself time to build his stamina and get his strength back. Time... Right!

For some reason Craig couldn't explain he didn't' think he had very much of that to waste. And he couldn't see how sitting still could possibly help him get stronger _or _increase his stamina. Left to his own devices he'd be pushing on, pushing his limitations, and forcing himself past them, like he'd always done. But he wasn't on his own.

Garrison had been here several days now and it hadn't taken him long to learn the ropes, so he turned on his safe cracking expert again and asked. "What?" And waited for the question that was designed to keep him in place until the other man thought he'd rested long enough and allowed him to get up and get on with it.

Casino studied the man sitting on the wall next to him. He was still too thin, and too pale. He was breathing too fast, and even after this short walk he'd already broken out in a sweat. The doctors said he was OK though, and he guessed they wouldn't've let the Warden leave the hospital if they'd been worried about him. But something still wasn't right. His color was off or somethin'. Casino shrugged his sense of unease away… They were right, the guy probably just needed more time to rest like they said. And if he didn't come up with somethin' to say he'd be up on his feet again, before he was ready.

"I was just tryin' to figure it out..."

"What?"

"How you managed to turn out normal."

"Normal! What do you mean?" Garrison laughed. "You're the first one to tell me I'm crazy."

"Well, you are! But I'm not talkin' about that…. You know, losin' your dad so early, having to put up with that crazy old goat of a granddad…' The look Garrison shot him stopped any further comment he had on that subject. "Well, uh… considerin' all that, seems like you should a ended up in the cell right next to mine." And to Garrison's questioning look he explained. "Aw, they used to let social workers in the joint all the time. To do tests and stuff."

"I guess I just made different choices."

"Yeah. That's what Ma said."

"You told her?!"

Uh.. Yeah. Well. Some of it. I told ya. She can get anything outta anybody."

"Sure! I can still see the bruises she left on you." He decided to turn the tables on him. "Why'd you end up in a cell anyway? Doesn't seem to fit your background."

Casino gazed off down the street. "I had different stuff to deal with."

"Yeah." Garrison knew some of that story, and could imagine the rest. "Well, I guess I just found 'more sociably acceptable avenues to channel my aggressive tendencies.'"

"Uh oh! The shrinks got to you too? The schools set you up?"

"No. I didn't really go to school here, I had tutors until I went to West Point. Madelyn arranged it." Poor Madelyn, he thought and smiled to himself, that was another thing that hadn't gone as she'd planned. And after that first encounter, after she'd set out all those rules, he had taken particular delight in thwarting some of those plans she made for herself and him. She figured she could get some doctor to certify that he was crazy so she could stash him in a state hospital somewhere. It was a _real _disappointment to her when the reports came back claiming that even after the life he'd led he'd somehow managed to deal with it in a 'socially acceptable manner' and his sanity was unquestionably intact.

Madelyn? Casino wondered about the smile that ghosted across the Wardens face, he'd never heard that name before but set it aside for now to keep the guy talking. "So what kinda 'avenues' did you choose?"

"I don't know, books, I guess. I studied so much I didn't have much time to get into trouble. Then I wore myself out outside." One of the tutors had introduced him to cross-country running, and he'd also spent time roaming the foothills that sat up behind the house… then the ocean was just two miles away and after he'd gotten over the shock of the difference between the warm waters around Greece and the Pacific he'd taken to swimming as much as he could.

"You compete?"

"Not until the Point." _'Every office an athlete' _he thought. "Everything's a competition there." He'd had it, he was tired of resting. "Come on, let's get going."

Casino followed after him. 'Yeah,' he thought, 'everything was a competition there. Just like at good ol' Granddad's.' He still wondered how each of them had turned out the way they did. Somehow the Warden had turned right when he'd turned left and he wondered if he could really get off the road he was on like they said he could, turn around and go back where he'd missed that right turn.


	9. Chapter 9

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Casino was right. It was loud when they all got together and you did have to shout sometimes to make yourself heard. And there was sure a houseful now, just as he'd promised. The whole family had come in for Sunday dinner and he was enjoying the effort it took to keep them all straight.

Rebecca O'Connell married Marcus, Casino's older brother when she was just out of school. He'd dropped out but insisted she finish. He'd gotten in trouble, but insisted she stay clear of all of that. He'd stuck up for her in school, when he was there, and in the neighborhood when the people in it, mostly middle European immigrants started hassling her for her Irish temper, red hair and freckles. She'd come over with her family when she was ten and still had the lilting accent and certainly had the temper. Her parents were dead and her two brothers were in the Navy serving somewhere in the Pacific. She'd brought her boys to live with Ma and Pop since Marcus' conviction and was working as a secretary at Chris' office while they waited out the rest of his prison term. He had six more years to go.

Casino's twin nephews Joseph and Michael were red haired like their mother but darker, tempered by their father's family coloring into a rich deep mahogany. The kids were mirror twins and about the only way to tell them apart was which way their hair parted. They'd just recently taken to combing and oiling it straight back to eliminate even that small hint. The family got around that by just ruffling their hair up when they wanted to know who they were dealing with. The boys were starting to get into more than just petty trouble and had recently taken their first car. They'd been brought home with a warning by the officer who caught them joy riding. He was a local man and knew the family and knew how hard it was to keep your nose clean with a dad that was in prison, especially when everyone in the neighborhood knew it. Not very attentive in school the grades they'd recieved at the end of the year required summer school and they complained bitterly about that to anyone who would listen using all the drama that filled every thirteen year old soul to plead their case.

The youngest brother, Stefan, tallest member of the family even at 17, was dark like Casino, nearly black hair and brown eyes. But where his brother was solidly built, tough, and garrulous, he was slight, intense and introverted. He was determined to go into the service as soon as he could, and he'd been pestering his parents to let him leave school and join up. He was good in school, learning seemed to come easy to him and he'd taken language classes since the war started as part of his preparation for going over to Europe. He didn't speak very well, there was a bit of a hesitation in his speech because of an early childhood stutter, but he could understand, read and write German and he'd made a start on Italian. He was spending the summer with his older sister and her husband. He had his uncle teaching him how to handle a pistol and practiced every day on the police firing range. He'd just recently taken up boxing and weightlifting, trying to add a little bulk to his lanky frame.

The oldest sister Lawenda and her family were a younger version of Casino's parents. They'd married when they were both eighteen and had to wait for the children to come along. Nick joined the police force and was working his way up the ladder. He was a lieutenant now, working vice. The kids, a boy, nine, and a girl just turned six, were the center of their lives. They both had a relaxed easy manner with them, using their love for one another to guide the little ones along the winding path of childhood. They hadn't given it a seconds thought when Stefan had asked if he could stay with them during the summer. He was family. That's what you did for family, you took care of them.

Casino's brother-in-law Chris with his blonde hair, pale complexion and light blue eyes stood out like a candle burning in a dark room when he was surrounded by the family. Casino was right though, as different as he appeared it seemed that he'd always been a part of them, laughing and joking easily as he moved around the room, seeing to it that his wife and his new little girl had what they needed and got where they wanted to go.

They'd been apart for so long that they were reveling in having this many members of the family in one place again. The only two missing were gone for completely opposing reasons. Angie, studying to become a nun, was in a convent in Virginia and Marcus, convicted of breaking and entering, was in a prison in the northeast corner of the state. Even though they weren't physically present they were well represented in the stories of the past that were now being told. Casino and Lawenda were currently passing the verbal baton back and forth as they told about being reprimanded by their mother as children...

"I swear she doesn't know one from the other when she gets mad. You should a heard her when we were kids. She'd call us all down and line us up. Right there, right at the bottom of the stairs."

"Then she'd climb up about halfway…."

"So she could look us in the eye, ya know?"

"And then she'd start to pace. March back and forth across that step as she recounted our crimes."

"Yeah!" Casino rocked back in his chair and laughed. "Punching and jabbin' at the air like a crazy woman!"

Garrison smiled, it seemed he'd seen a little of that action somewhere himself.

"And she never could remember our names."

"That's right! She'd turn on us n' try and single somebody out and end up just pointing and shakin' her finger. Hollerin' 'YOU! You know who you are!'"

"Or '_YOU!_ Who are you? And don't lie to me!'"

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Casino's father watched the young Lieutenant make his way through the crowded room towards the kitchen, setting his glass in the sink before opening the screen and closing it quietly behind him. His retreat had gone unnoticed by the rest of the family as they continued to laugh and remember their past with jokes and stories. Then he saw his wife lean forward and start to pass Jeannette over to Becky. Of course she'd notice, he thought, smiling to himself, there wasn't much that happened with one of the children that she missed, and whether he knew it or not, the young man that had just left the room had taken up that position in their lives now. He pushed up out of his chair, he'd go check, she could stay with Jeannette. She'd probably just harry the poor man back inside in order to keep him under her watchful eye anyway. She had every reason to be concerned, the boy was still recovering, still tired easily, and the fevers came back when he pushed himself. But this raucous, crowded roomful of people was probably a bit overwhelming. He'd just step outside and keep him company, give him a bit of a break from all the noise.

He found him sitting at the back of the lot resting up against a tree looking back towards the house and motioned for him to stay where he was as he made his way there and lowered himself down to sit beside him.

"Are you alright, Craig?"

"Yes, sir. I'm fine." The sound of laughter drew his gaze back to the house. "You are a very lucky man."

"Yes." He studied the profile a moment and then looked across the yard at the house that held his family, held nearly everything, _everyone_, in the world that was dearest to him.

"I am." Turning he watched the youngster a moment longer, "But you're wondering how the boys could have gotten into so much trouble."

Garrison looked back at him, smiled slightly and gave a nod of confession. He had been sitting there wondering just that.

"It wasn't always like this… I nearly lost it all by being a fool."

Settling more comfortably against the tree he started to tell the story that he'd told to many of the children and young people that had come into their lives. The story that he hoped would help them avoid some of the trouble he'd gone through, that he'd put his family through.

"I'm ashamed to say that there was a time that I wasn't there for them. Not when they needed it most. They had to watch out for themselves, and they had to go find family to take care of them. They found the wrong kind. They went to my brothers and my uncles, and people I had known as a young man,,, who are into all sorts of trouble. I won't lie to you, Lieutenant, I was into all of that too, once. When I was young I… It was exciting. It was fun, and we never did anything that got anyone hurt."

He remembered the petty thievery and the times he and his friends would harass the merchants along the street where he'd grown up. The fights they'd get into with other groups of boys. The dares that led them into more and more dangerous pranks that quickly turned into crimes as they tested themselves against the local police.

"Then when I got married and the children came,,, I wanted so much for her, for them, and I couldn't get it, not on what I could make. And I'll admit there was a bit of arrogance too. I wanted to prove to her family that I could support her 'in style'. So I stayed in. It was so much easier and faster to make a lot of money all at once like that." Shaking his head at his own stubborn foolishness he continued. "She didn't want it. She tried to make me see, but I wouldn't believe her."

"We got caught, my cousin and I. We got caught with a whole truck load of stolen goods. They sent me to jail and we didn't have the money for bail. She wouldn't accept help from my family, she saw them as part of the problem, so she packed the kids up and went to her folks. The case fell apart and they had to let me go, but she wouldn't let me near her. She wouldn't have anything to do with me. Not until I straightened out. That's when I finally got it. That's when she finally convinced me that the _things_ that I could get for her didn't mean anything to her."

"It was a struggle, there were times I didn't know how we'd keep a roof over our heads or afford to feed everyone. But it was a wonderful, joyful time too, because we were together. And I was learning what it really meant to be a man, to provide for and protect my family. I finally got a good job on the docks. I can't explain how proud I was when we bought this house from the money I was making when Angie came... She said she wanted to fill all the rooms with children. We almost made it. Then Joey died and it was like the world came to an end."

They sat quietly together as he remembered those dark terrible days when the world stopped spinning. The baby's death had thrown his wife into a deep depression and had taken her strength and support away from him. He tried to carry on for her, and keep the family going, but his own grief and guilt was too deep and he started drinking. As the drinking increased he started loosing time from work and the old contacts found out about his trouble and came back to use it to lure him back into business with them. But by then he was too far gone, too deep into the bottle to be useful to them, but they'd found the older boys.

"The light went out of everything. I didn't work…. I couldn't. I drank instead. The older kids had to do what I was supposed to do. The boys had to find enough money to keep the family together and they went with my brothers to do it. Lawenda took over the two little ones and tried to keep the place running. You see she was bad too. She didn't come out of her room for days at a time."

His wife regained her emotional balance in time to pull him back from the edge, but the two older boys were already too involved and they watched them be absorbed into the underside of life in the neighborhood. Marcus because he always wanted more than he had, and Casino because he felt his own guilt over the death of his brother, he'd been the one left in charge of watching him.

"By the time we both snapped out of it the boys were caught. They'd done it, they'd kept the family together, but they were caught up in it all. And it was fun, it was exciting… and they never did anything that really hurt anyone."

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They sat there together, Garrison considering how easily something like that could happen. Casino's father pushed up onto his feet.

"Thank you for talking to the boys."

Garrison shrugged, "I didn't tell them anything that wasn't true."

He'd spent almost a hour with Stefan, encouraging him to stay in school and talking to him about possibly going on to college, even into the military academy to become an officer. With his quick intelligence and language skills the military could always make good use of him, but he hoped his argument had swayed the boy towards continuing his education… putting off his entry into that life until they had a chance to end the mess in Europe.

And he and Chris had spent an enjoyable afternoon as he discovered the ulterior motives behind all the 'toys' in their backyard. It seemed everything there had been constructed in such a way as to provide amusement and an opportunity for both Jeannette and Marika to increase their strength and balance as they used them. Jeannie was 'in therapy' every hour she played out there… Then there were the modifications he'd made to the house and the small lightweight wheelchair and crutches he'd built in the shop at the construction yard, fine tuning them to fit Jeannette as he had done for Mari. Craig had seen enough to know how important those things would be in the coming years. Both civilian and military survivors were going to need people who could make it easier for them to adapt to lives that would be limited by injuries they suffered in the war… and he'd told Chris he thought he should go into the rehabilitation section of the hospital he'd been in up north and see just what kind of equipment the patients were saddled with. The young man had taken up his suggestion and used the number Casino had to call and arrange a time to go up and take a look around. They agreed the girls should go too, and they were going to take the chair Jeannette had been given, and the one he'd made for her along so the doctors could get a look at what he'd done for her.

"Well, it meant a lot to them, and to Marika and my wife. We should probably get back in there." Smiling down on the younger man, "She'll worry and come looking if we're missing too long."

Garrison looked up and smiled, leaning forward he started to get to his feet but winced, drew in a sharp breath and reached across, grabbing his arm, pulling it close in against his ribs.

"Craig! Are you alright?!" The older man dropped down into a crouch and laid his hands on his shoulders.

"Yeah. Just give me a minute." He sat with his eyes closed, concentrating on controlling the pain in his side and shoulder. Breathing carefully, slowly, waiting for his muscles to relax and the discomfort to ease.

"I thought the doctors fixed everything."

"Nerve damage." He shook his head, slowly. "I guess they can't fix this." He hadn't had the pain since three days before they'd let him go from the hospital. He'd actually started to believe that the treatments might have made a difference.

"Do we need to get you back to the doctors?"

Garrison opened his eyes and forced a smile. "No. It's alright. It's already going away. Everything's fine." Pushing off the ground he got to his feet, accepting the help when Casino's father hooked him under the arm. "Let's go back in... Like you said, no sense worrying anyone."


	10. Chapter 10

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The bell ringing at the house was nothing unusual with a large family like this one, it seemed like people were always coming and going. If it was an established friend, a family member, or one of the many who'd been adopted into the group they just came through the door, either front or back. Someone less sure of themselves rang the bell. The boys ran for the door, and with their voices echoing along the hallway even their own mother couldn't identify which one was calling out. "Papa! It's a telegram. We gotta give the guy a tip." The sound of running feet and Michael, identifiable because someone had tousled the part back into his hair, skidded to a halt. He handed his grandfather the envelope and took the change the man held out to him, tossing it in the air as he jogged back up to the door.

Ringing doorbells were normal, telegrams weren't. The family seemed to converge from all parts of the house.

"What is it Josef? What's wrong? Why haven't you opened it?" No one was about to have a baby, Jeannette was already here, Casino was home,,, it had to be bad news. Marcus and Nick came immediately to mind and her concern was evident in her voice and the slight tremor of her hand as she reached for the cable

"Because it isn't addressed to us." He took her hand and gave it a quick squeeze. Hearing the screen on the back door slam he looked up to see the young men walking in from their trip down to visit with Mari. "Here's a telegram for you Craig."

Garrison reached out for the envelope, "They've probably figured out this was all just a con job and I've been declared AWOL." he joked, but as he drew the message out to scan it he thought, it could just as easily be a problem with the men back in England. That's all he needed, the Army threatening to ship one of them back to prison because of some dumb stunt they'd pulled. He had to get back over there…

She watched the puzzled frown slide across his face and disappear. "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing." Garrison folded the cable away in his pocket and smiled down at her. "They just want me back at the hospital for a couple more tests."

That was said too casually and it didn't fool anyone.

"When do they want you?"

"Tonight. I'd better get my stuff together." He started away from them towards the room at the back of the house. "Casino, is there a train schedule around?"

"Don't be silly." Placing her hand on his arm she stopped him. "You'll take the car."

Casino's father nodded his agreement. "We'll drive you back, it isn't that far."

"That's very kind of you but you don't need to go to the trouble…"

Casino watched his mother's eyes narrow and he reached a hand out to touch Garrison on the shoulder. "You might as well just give in now Warden," leaning his head in her direction he continued, "because you aren't in charge a these arrangements."

"Look, you've been very kind, and I appreciate it, but fuel's still rationed here. I can't let you…"

"Craig. It's a very interesting thing, but cars will run on alcohol and…" a gleam had come into the older man's eye and a smile was just beginning on his face.

"…and you just happen to have a still in the neighborhood?" Garrison shook his head, it seemed some very useful skills had been passed down through this family.

"Well, we do what we can to get along. Everyone contributes and I,,," Pop shrugged and smiled again. "Well, I know how to make it. It won't be a problem."

ggg

"I see you've put on a little weight Lieutenant. Home cooked food is better at doing that than our institutional stuff." The doctor looked up from his record with a professionally friendly smile.

Garrison was instantly on alert. The telegram had been bad enough but this man's tone was unsettling. "Yes, sir."

"Did you enjoy being with the family?"

He realized he hadn't asked Casino exactly what his mother had told them to get him released from here in the first place. The way the question was worded he figured it was some kind of Aunt/Uncle con job. He decided he didn't need to correct the impression the doctor had, and he had enjoyed being with the family, even if it wasn't his own. "Yes, sir, I did." he shifted uncomfortably on the chair. "Would you like to tell me what this is all about, sir?"

"Something's showed up on your last x-ray Lieutenant. I'm sorry."

_I'll bet you are, and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be too. _"But they said everything was clearing up…"

"I know,,, there was an error. The films were mismarked and by the time we realized it you were long gone. It took a bit of digging to track you down. And the original problem has cleared up. This is something different."

"So… ah… What is it?"

"We don't know for sure." The doctor's voice and manner were even more casual, and he shrugged. "That's why you're back here for more tests."

_I haven't spent all this time with four cons without learning a couple of things. Your tone is way too friendly, Jack, this is a snow job if I've ever heard one. And you have a pretty damn good idea of what's going on, he thought. _"What kind of tests?"

"It's called a biopsy. I have you scheduled for one tomorrow morning."

"What will you do?" He'd heard the term before, but he needed the man to say it out loud, to tell him what he was up against.

"It's nothing. We'll do a little minor surgery and take a piece of tissue out to look at under the microscope."

_OK, this guy is being way too careful_. "Sir, the only person I ever knew who had one of those biopsies of yours was a cadet at West Point. He came up sick and they couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. They did that biopsy thing and he died about six months later."

"Did they tell you what killed him?" The doctor had shifted, his attention and gaze going back to the file he held in his hands.

"Yeah." His mouth had gone dry. "Leukemia. So, I think you'd better lay it out for me."

"Alright Lieutenant, here it is." Tossing the file aside the doctor rested his arms on the desk and leaned forward a bit, studying the young man who sat across from him. "The pneumonia and pleurisy that we treated you for was obscuring an underlying problem. We think it's a tumor and it may be cancer. But we won't know without the biopsy."

_Think. May be. Won't know... Well, I asked for it. _"Where is it? Can you show me."

There was a large envelope setting against the wall next to the doctor's chair and a box covered in opaque white glass hanging on the wall next to the desk. He flipped a switch on the box and selected a film from the envelope and held it up to the light. "This is what we're concerned with, right here."

"But that's just scar tissue." Relief flooded through him. _I knew this had to be some big mistake. _"They showed me that weeks ago. Said it wasn't anything to worry about."

The doctor pulled another film from the envelope and clipped it to the lighted box next to the first. "Lieutenant, scar tissue doesn't change like this. And it might cause some pulling, a sharp pain now and again, but not the constant discomfort you've been putting up with…"

_How in the hell did he know about that?_

"…or the fevers, or the weight loss… Believe me son."

_No... No, this is some kind of a mistake. They just picked up some other guys file that's all. _But the light scattering of metal through the thing the doctor was pointing out on the films was the same. One of the bullets he'd caught way back in France had fragmented and they'd said it'd do more damage to try and chase all those little pieces around than to just leave them where they were. They were the same on both films. "If it's... cancer… what'll you do about it?"

"Depends on how bad it is. We can take all or part of the lung to try and stop it."

_Try and stop it__, that doesn't sound too hopeful. _"Who decides that?"

"I do. Either during the procedure tomorrow, or after the results of the biopsy come back."

_Talk about not being in charge. Sounds you're going to be deciding if I live or die tomorrow, something I should have a __little __say in. _"What if I don't have your biopsy? What if I don't let you do anything?"

"Look, son, your records finally got here. There's a vague shadow on one of the films that was done over there, but it's hard to make out. The films were damaged. The set we have here,,," Tapping the second film again to stress his point the doctor continued, "it's much more prominent. That means, if it is a tumor, it's a fast growing one. If we don't do anything about it's going to spread."

_Say there, __Dad _"Any guarantees your surgery will stop it?"

OK, this kid said he wanted it laid out for him, he'd give it to him straight. "No. But if it's cancer and we _don't_ do anything I can guarantee it will kill you. If we try, and we manage to get it all, we may stop it."

_That's not exactly the guarantee I wanted. _"I have some things I have to do first. Stuff I need to finish." Garrison studied the doctor that sat across from him. "Once you cut me open and report it they'll discharge me. I won't have the access I need…"

"I'll have to report this any way so there's no point in delaying it. And if we can stop this…" Worthing leaned forward in his chair and pressed his point. If the kid needed to think he'd still be useful after the surgery then he'd tell him that. "Lieutenant, they need men like you, experienced men, as analysts, advisors, as instructors. I know that's not what you expected to do in this war, but don't count on a discharge after I'm done with you."

"But no guarantees?"

"No." He'd watched the color drain from the young man's face as they'd talked. And he knew the internal dialog, he knew it by heart. _This isn't happening to me, this is someone else we're talking about._ He'd been through it all, said it all when they found the tumor that took his wife's life. He watched as the man's eyes searched the room and noticed that they sought every avenue of escape,,, the windows that looked out on the walkway that ran next to the building, the door that led into his private office, and the door that led back out into the hallway. When the young officer stood and headed towards that door he knew what was on his mind then too... _He's going to bug out on me. _And he pressed the button on the intercom on his desk. "Where are you going Lieutenant?"

_Are you crazy!? Anywhere away from here, and just as fast as I can...! _"I,,, I just need to get some air, sir." But before he could reach the door it had already opened and an orderly stood in his path holding the duffle bag he'd dropped outside the doctor's office before he'd been invited into this nightmare.

"Good. I'll just have Innis take you over to your room. It's across the campus in building B. You'll get a good walk on your way over." Worthing studied the pale face and noted the slight sheen of sweat and the rapid breathing. "I can arrange for a wheelchair for you if you don't think you can make it."

_Surrounded. _"No, sir, that won't be necessary." Garrison felt the muscles in his back and shoulders tense and his hand slide towards the place on his hip where his service revolver usually rested when he was in uniform. He made a conscious effort to relax and take a deep breath before he stepped towards the door. "I can manage it."


	11. Chapter 11

ggg

They'd hung around after they let him out and watched him walk up into the large building. He'd told them to go back home after he'd thanked them, told them he'd let them know what was up after the tests were done. They'd argued but he'd insisted, and when that stubborn officer's edge came into his voice Casino had signaled his parents to back down. As soon as he'd moved far enough away from the car so he couldn't hear them they'd started their plotting. Casino spent a little time sitting in the car, just long enough to let the Warden get past the front desk and on where he was supposed to go. "Alright, I'm gonna go in and find out where they're puttin' him. You guys go park the car and I'll meet you back up here on the steps."

He turned the collar on his jacket up and pulled the heavy door open. As he walked across the lobby he pulled his wallet out and held it in his left hand. It felt like any one of the jobs they'd pulled over in Europe, but at least here language was no problem and they probably wouldn't put him up in front of a firing squad if he was caught. "Hey, beautiful! That last guy that walked in here, where'd he go?"

"Why?" The receptionist looked up from her work and waited for his answer.

He shrugged, "Aw, he left his wallet in my cab. Can't have him walking around with out any dough now, can we?"

Extending her hand she continued, her voice the practiced sort of bored that told him she was interested in him. "I'll see to it that he gets it."

Casino started to hand over the wallet, then snatched it back, "Oh, it's no trouble. I can see you're real busy. 'Sides I wanna do it." He turned his best smile down on her. "Might get a big tip, ya know?"

"He's just headed in to Dr. Worthing's office. That's down there, past the second hallway and two doors on your right."

"Thanks, babe." He gave her an appreciative wink as he swaggered towards the hallway, "If he gives me a good tip, what time do you get off?" and caught her smile before he moved off towards the doctor's office.

ggg

Damn! She'd already talked her way into the doctor's office. She and Pop were still in there talkin' to the guy. If he hadn't been so loud about bein' the cabby he'd a been in there too. He'd waited around the corner until the Warden came out with an orderly that was probably takin' him to his room, and then went out to tell them where the doctor's office was, then he had to waste some time finding a side entrance to get back in so the little receptionist wouldn't get suspicious. By the time he'd found the damned office again they were already inside. 'Come on, already!', he thought. 'How long can it take to give somebody the low-down on somethin' like this?' The moment the door opened he stopped pacing, latched on to his mother's arm and towed her down the hall. "What'd he say?"

But it was Pop who spoke up as she fumbled in her purse, "The doctor said we should call the rest of the family."

Casino caught is breath and looked up at the two of them. "That doesn't sound good. What's wrong? Did he tell you?"

She was still searching through her purse, still looking down, until Casino handed her his handkerchief. "He thinks it's cancer." she said quietly and then she looked up at him as she dabbed at her eyes. "The doctor's worried he won't go through with the tests and the surgery."

Casino just stared down at her as a hundred images flashed through his mind: The look on the Warden's face when he'd handed him the cuffs that first time in the plane, the laugh they'd all shared when they left Manners to explain to the Germans why there was no money in the coffin, the glint in his eye when he floated the idea of them dressing up like dames to get those babies out a Germany, even the way he looked laying in that hospital bed on that Kraut air base when they'd gone undercover together. "Damn!" It wasn't supposed to be like this. Casino turned away from them and faced the wall. "Damn it!" and he took some of his anger and frustration out on it with his fist. "But he doesn't have anybody…"

She settled herself firmly on the bench that sat along the wall. "Yes he does," and kissed her husband when he sat down next to her.

"Yeah! He does." Casino kissed the top of her head and then turned, heading back down the hall to that damn receptionist. "I need to send a telegram."

ggg

"They've assigned you a private room, sir." The orderly shouldered the door open and stood waiting for him to cross the threshold.

"Great." _Solitary_. His eyes went to the window, it was narrow and sat high up in the wall, near the ceiling, and then he checked out the two other doors as he walked into the room.

The young man pulled the closest door open, "Closet's here." And with a jerk of his thumb indicated the other. "John's in there. Do you want me to put your stuff away? You need any help getting dressed?"

_I __**am**__ dressed. "_No thanks, I can do it." Moving through the room he opened the door that led to the bath, turning as he closed it, he brought both hands up to hold it closed, leaned his forehead against the wood and closed his eyes.

"Sir, if you need anything my desk is just outside in the hallway."

_Swell. A guard on the door. The window's too small to get through too._

"Sorry about the chow, sir. Doctor said you couldn't have anything until after the surgery."

_Damn! Not even a last meal!_

"But you got all the hot water you want in there, sir."

_Well, that's something, anyway. Maybe I can drown myself. _"Thanks Corporal. I'll call you if I need anything."

g

He'd hung his uniform away, used nearly all that hot water before he changed into the clothes Corporal Innis had laid out for him. They were the simple drawstring cotton pants he'd seen the doctors wearing, and a plain white T shirt. _At least I don't have to be embarrassed by one of those damn hospital gowns._ It was quiet in the room and he'd spent some time just sitting on the side of the bed. The pitcher of water on the table next to him was empty, he'd downed all of it but his mouth was still dry, and Innis had told him he couldn't have any more until after the surgery, like the food.

This wasn't the way he'd planned things. He didn't consider himself a coward but he didn't know if he could just sit in there and wait for the morning. _Pretty clever of them to get you out of your clothes right away. Makes it harder to run…_ There wasn't a lock on the door. _It wouldn't be that hard to get dressed again and just walk out the door. Innis doesn't look that tough._ But just as he was considering that option the door opened and he looked up, "How did you get in here?"

"I can leave you alone if you like. But we've already talked to the doctor and none of us are going anywhere until after you have that surgery tomorrow."

Standing there like that she barely seemed taller than the door knob, but she effectively cut off his escape. And if she was staying , it looked like he was too,,, And she was probably way tougher than Innis. Looking past her he searched the piece of hallway visible through the open door. "Where…?"

"They've gone to find coffee."

"Then I guess you'd better sit down and make yourself comfortable." He closed his eyes and took as deep a breath as he could manage. There seemed to be a steel band around his chest and someone had been pulling it tighter and tighter ever since he'd read the telegram.

"Did they feed you?" As she walked across the room to the chair she watched him turn and settle himself on the bed. He was so thin... If he had to face something serious like this how was he going to fight it off? He needed weeks of someone feeding and fussing over him before he'd be ready to do this, but the doctor assured them it wasn't something that could wait.

"Can't have anything because of the surgery."

"Here I get you fattened up a little and they go and undo all my good work." she fumed and he heard a muted version of Casino's irritated manner.

He smiled over at her. "I want to thank you for that."

"You don't have to. The food was there, all you had to do was eat it."

"That's not what I mean." She knew it wasn't, she was hiding the fact by concentrating on the hands she held in her lap. "I haven't… It's been a long time since I had anyone fuss over me. It was nice… Casino's lucky."

"Well, we'll just have to find you a nice girl to…"

"No. I don't think that's such a good idea right now. I don't think I want anyone depending on me right now."

"You don't have a choice, people already do!" She leaned forward and rested her hand on his arm. "My son, those other men. Everyone you know depends on you in some manner. People you don't even know depend on you to do the best job you can to bring their sons and brothers safe through this. People you haven't met yet will depend on you, or the people you keep alive by what you do." She could hear the doctor as he told them how important it was to face something like this with confidence, determination, and belief in the future, supported by friends and family. "You owe it to them to do everything you can to survive."

"I don't know." He closed his eyes a moment before he looked back at her, shaking his head as he continued. "I don't think know how to fight something like this."

"Just like you would any other battle or any other enemy." She sounded just like a DI that last year at the Point, it made him smile and relax a little. "It's no different. You fight with everything you've got, just like you do over there in Europe. And you accept help from other people when you need it." She smiled at him and there was a light to her eyes that let him know she believed in what she was saying. "And besides I was thinking more of someone _you _could depend on."

They could smell the aroma of coffee before the door opened, and he gave her a quick smile. "I've already got that."

ggg

"Sergeant Major/stop This is for the guys/stop…Very funny sense of humor, that one. I thought I'd best bring it up to you." Rawlins tossed the telegram on the table next to Actor and stalked from the room.

"Go on, what's it say?"

"Se**rg**ean**t M**ajo**r**/s**t**op This is fo**r** **t**he **gu**ys/s**t**op

Fo**u**n**d** **tu**mo**r**/stop **M**aybe cance**r**/s**t**op

S**urg**e**r**y **t**omo**rr**ow/s**t**op **M**o**r**e la**t**e**r**/s**t**op

Casino/en**d**"

"Cancer…" Goniff whispered as he took the telegram from Actor's hand and stared down at it. "That's what killed me Dad."

"What time is it over there?"

"I think there's a five hour time difference."

"Then it's already tomorrow, isn't it? They've already done..."

"No, it's the other way around. Casino sent this at five o'clock their time. They waited to deliver it." Actor glanced at his watch. "It's four in the morning there now."

"When'll they do somethin' like that?"

"How long will it take for 'em to know somethin'?"

"I don't know. But I know who we might ask."

"Riley!?"

Actor stepped to the intercom unit on the wall next to the door, pressed the button for the box in the office downstairs. "Sergeant Major, could you get Corporal Riley on the phone please?"

"Actor?! 'Ow many times do I 'ave to tell you to stay off this intercom!"

"And we'll need you in here as well, thank you."

"Bloody Hell!…" by closing the connection Actor not only spared them the ordeal of listening to the Sergeant Major's ranting, he insured the man's appearance to personally reprimand them for disobeying his orders. The con man was waiting just inside the door and handed over the telegram as soon as the man appeared.

"Now you lot 'ad better start looking sharpish or the Lieutenant…. What's this then?" They all watched as he read the cable and knew exactly when he'd reached the fateful words by the abrupt rise of his eyebrows. "What'd you want Riley for?" He looked up and searched their faces. "'Ee won't 'ave the answers we want. Come on! We'll go over to the base 'ospital and see Dr. Philips."


	12. Chapter 12

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They'd ridden back from the hospital in silence, lost in their own thoughts about what Philips had to say and what it might mean. When they'd arrived back at the manor they'd each gone their separate ways to continue that consideration and plan their next move. Chief left for a long walk on the grounds, Goniff, as always, headed for the kitchen and the solace of tea and biscuits, and Actor retired to the library to think.

Rawlins drove the jeep around to the garages and walked slowly back up to the house entering by the back door. He'd seen the Indian lad disappear into the trees and only wasted a moments thought on going after him, and he'd stopped and watched as his fellow Brit rummaged through the cabinets and set the kettle on the stove in the kitchen. Walking along the hall he noticed the library door was closed before he turned into the Lieutenant's office and closed the door behind him.

Gil moved up to the desk and lifted the first chair aside, then the second…. Bending forward he grasped the edge of the carpet the desk sat on and leaned back, giving it a tug that started it moving silently along the floor,,, then he stopped. He stood there a long time, staring at the desk that sat in front of him, thinking of what lay under it and what his orders were….

"_Gil, if anything should happen… I want you to see to it they get any paperwork that's in their files in this safe. Will you do that?"_

"_Of course, sir, I'll see to it. But nothing's going to…"_

"_Thanks Sergeant, but I don't need your reassurance, I just need to know it'll be taken care of if I can't do it,,, for any reason. They're going to need this stuff if I'm not around Gil, dead, missing, or just hurt bad enough that they could be shipped home before I came out of it. Have I got you word on it? …Good! " _

They'd shaken hands on it… made a pact of it.

Philips hadn't pulled any punches after he'd looked over the Lieutenant's record. The doctor pushed through a call to the States while they waited too, and got hold of some of the test results they had there. He'd told them it didn't look good. Garrison had pleurisy he said, serious enough on it's own but when they'd finally tried to drain the fluid away to give him some relief the stuff had blood in it. 'A finding associated with cancer.' he said… Cancer. That was a death sentence as far as Gil knew, he'd never heard of anyone surviving it for long. If it turned out to be true, the young officer wouldn't be coming back. And he believed, as Garrison did, that the Army would move on the men and just ship them back to prison in America.

"Is there something wrong Sergeant Major?"

He hadn't heard the door open behind him and was startled into dropping the corner of the rug he held in his hands. Turning to face the penetrating gaze of the groups' confidence artist he cleared his throat and answered, "Just the bloody cleaning crew leaving a fold in the Lieutenant's carpet. I'll 'ave to 'ave another word with them." He knew by the man's raised brow he hadn't convinced him and was surprised another question hadn't followed the first, but the big man just gave a nod and turned back to disappear into the library again, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Rawlins moved to the other side of the desk and tugged the carpet so it was in its original position then he walked around and picked up the first chair and set it back in place. He couldn't set a seal on the man's fate. He couldn't bring himself to follow orders that turned on the man's death… not yet. Tomorrow would be time enough to carry out those orders. When the next cable came from America he'd have to carry out his instructions.

ggg

The Warden had insisted they take off, go home and get some sleep. Jeeze! As if any of them were gonna to do that. What was wrong with him? He'd nix the idea in no uncertain terms, but sent his folks off to find a room and get some rest. Casino'd convinced the doctor that somebody ought to stick with the guy and it might as well be him, then he'd spent most of the night arguing with the Warden over the arrangement. Well, at least it had gotten them through 'til now. They both heard the gurney rattle to a stop just outside the door. "You scared?"

"No." Garrison closed his eyes for a moment before he looked over at Casino and actually managed a slight smile. "Terrified." Then his attention was riveted on the door as it swung into the room.

"You'r not doin' this alone, you know." They watched as the nurse came through the door with her tray of drugs and he stood up and got ready to leave.

"Yeah. I know. Thanks"

He picked up his jacket and started towards the door. "OK. I'll see you on the other side."

"What!?" Garrison stiffened, shoved himself up against the frame at the head of the bed as the nurse, that same damn nurse, was she the only one in the whole hospital?, came closer. He berated himself for his action, even though he had a 'history' with her, this wasn't some Nazi interrogator, this was just an Army nurse! But he couldn't help himself

"You ever had any surgery Warden?" Turning, his hand still on the door knob, Casino caught the nod and quick smile from the nurse that gave him the OK to stick around.

"Nothing planned. Just the Army's patch jobs." Garrison watched as the tourniquet was pulled tight and the vein that rose on the back of his hand was swabbed down with alcohol.

"Well, they keep all you guys that are waiting to go to surgery on this side a the operating room." The nurse drew up the drug that would start the Warden on his way to sleep and turned to deliver it. Casino had to turn away for a second as she slid the needle home. _God, he hated needles! _"After the doctors do their thing they roll you out on the other side and keep you over there 'til you'r feelin' good enough to go back to a regular room, see?" Casino had explained the same thing to Stefan when he was seven years old and just about to go in to have his tonsils removed. He only wished he could promise this surgery would be celebrated with ice cream when it was over. "They'll let us see you over there about the time you'r wakin' up. So… we'll see you on the other side."

Warmth flooded into him, starting in his hand and racing its way up along his arm. Then it seemed to pool in the middle of his chest before spilling out into every part of him. "It's getting hot in here… I don't want to do this, I can't… …I can't breathe."

"You'r OK. It's all over now. All you gotta do is get some sleep..."

ggg

"Se**rg**ean**t** **M**ajo**r**/s**t**op This is fo**r** **t**he g**u**ys/s**t**op

I**t**'s all ove**r**/s**t**op **M**o**r**e la**t**e**r**/s**t**op

Casino/end"

"Well, what in the 'ell's he mean by that then?"

ggg

As they sat with the doctor and listened to what he had to say and what he thought had happened Casino was amazed at the way things had come full circle. The trouble the Warden was in had probably started way back when they'd first met Sister Therese. And the contacts he'd made when he went looking for those kids had let him find Jeannie…And the Warden being sick had let him come home to bring her to his family… And now they were sitting here listening to this guy.

ggg

"Occult Abscess…."

"There's your witches Chiefy."

"No Goniff. Occult can apply to those who practice witchcraft, but the word actually just means 'hidden'." Actor told him quietly.

"Lieutenant Garrison has had several things going on over a long period of time." Philips was sorting through the records he had on the desk in front of him. "It appears that when he got shot back in France the slugs pulled fabric from his shirt or jacket into the wound. They'd treated him there, and so there wasn't any reason for him to have any surgery once he got back here."

They'd treated him…. Actor thought. They'd probably used probes to find the bullet while the German officer stood over the doctor and questioned the Warden about who he was and what he and his group were doing over there. And then dug into the wounds left by the slug that had fragmented until he'd passed out on them. He'd never told them that, but there had been no incision or stitches and Actor had seen the bruises that were left on his arms and legs from the straps they'd used to hold him down during the procedure when he'd helped into his clothes. He'd seen the contraption where they'd tossed it in the corner of the room he'd found him in...

"The abscess probably first formed after he got caught in that explosion. With the pleurisy that followed he couldn't breathe properly, that set him up for pneumonia, and it all just kept going around in a vicious circle until he collapsed… They'd treat one problem without knowing there were others to deal with. When he'd get too tired the fever would come back, and pleurisy isn't always visible on x-ray so they explained away the pain by his history of broken ribs. He was dropping weight because of the recurring fevers and he wasn't hungry because he wasn't feeling well so he lost more weight. When the fluid finally formed in his chest it sat right over the abscess and obscured it while it was getting larger... And the abscess itself may have caused some pain by causing pressure." Philips leaned back in his chair and looked up at the men gathered on the other side of his desk. "We're not set up to treat multiple problems like that over here. Each time he'd come in he was just looked at in relationship to the latest injury."

"But he'll be alright now, right?"

"He should,,, if they leave him enough time to recover."

The three men shared a quick look as the doctor looked down at another one of the reports. The Warden would have a good chance at that recovery time now. Reynolds was back in charge. The Sergeant Major had given them the news before the first telegram came in. Reynolds was back, and Wilhoitz was headed home to cool his heels in a prison cell at Leavenworth… Seems he'd used some of the money he saved the section to line his own pockets…

"I understand he runs."

"Yeah, Well he hasn't for a while."

Philips waved that away, of course Garrison hadn't run for a while, he'd been too sick. But he was used to strenuous physical activity, over and above the normal training and exercise the regular troops got, and that would hold him in good stead to recover from this latest malady. "You run with him?"

"Some a the time, if we're out there together."

"Make it a point to be 'out there together' when he starts up again… He'll probably try and push too hard right at first." He'd dealt with the young Army officer enough to know what he was like. He'd had him in the hospital once and been talked into letting him go too soon and found out later that he'd gone back on his promise to 'take it easy'. The doctor smiled to himself… that might not be exactly true. After his talk with Actor he had to admit the guy probably didn't realize what 'easy' meant. "You guys make a competition out of it?" He could see by the look on Chief's face they did. "OK. You'll be able to set the pace then, for a while… And you'd better win while you can. When he gets back up to full steam I think you're going to have a hard time keeping up with him."

ggg

The damn Limey had finally pushed the wrong button and he was gonna kill him! He heard the hinges on the door that led from the library out onto the patio groan in protest as the little pest beat it out a the mansion. If he thought he'd be able to hide from him outside on the grounds somewhere he had another thing coming. The safe cracker charged through the room and out the door without paying attention to who was sitting at the desk in the library.

_"David Francis Lewandowski!"_

Casino froze in his tracks. A moment later he shook himself. The inflection was just right, but the voice was definitely wrong. What just happened here?! Turning he stalked back along the stones and turned in at the French doors, marching on until he came to a stop, fists planted on hips, in front of the desk where the Warden sat. "She told you!"

And she'd worked with him that whole last week so he'd get the delivery just right too. Garrison didn't look up from the report he was working on. "Uh huh."

"Oh man!" there was a pleading tone in the safe cracker's voice. "You can't let the other guys know."

"They don't need to know, Casino." Garrison said quietly as he continued to work on his report. "It's enough that I know. But I have to tell you, this may be too good to keep to myself." When he set his pen aside he raised his eyes to meet Casino's and just smiled.

Jeeze! She'd taught him that one too. That was the kind a smile she always used when she wanted them to know they'd been caught. How in the hell was he gonna get around this guy now?!

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Mail call was usually a noisy affair. The group was lucky, stationed in England as they were mail easily reached them on a more, or less, regular basis. The men enjoyed letters from family and friends and Casino and Goniff even received occasional packages from home. The boxes created a holiday atmosphere as everyone gathered around to check out the contents

"Hey! Will ya look at that?!" Casino had received a package from his parents and grinned as he showed the picture around. They all gathered around him and admired the large family as he pointed each one out and identified them. "And _**that's**_ my brother Marcus.'

"But I thought you said he had six more years to go…."

"He did! But I guess they really do knock off time for good behavior. He's been keepin' his nose clean, takin' high school classes and work trainin', volunteerin' in the prison hospital, stuff like that. Anything he could dream up that might make the parole board swing his way"

"Well it looked like it worked, man."

Goniff peered over Casino's shoulder and studied the man smiling back at them from the photograph. He'd tried some of those things when he was in the joint and been hassled out of them by the other inmates, but this bloke wouldn't've had any of that kind of trouble. Casino's older brother was half again as broad and packed at least thirty pounds more than his younger brother. Trouble had come to him a time or two. He had a scar on his chin and his nose had been broken at least once, but he gave the impression, even smiling there surrounded by family, that he could give better than he got. Goniff figured trouble might find a fella like that, but as soon as they were properly introduced it'd probably leave him strictly alone. He shook his head. Yeah, a bloke like that'd be able to improve himself in prison without any trouble from his 'mates.'

"You'r sister looks real good in her uniform."

"That's no uniform!" Casino snorted. "That's called a habit!"

Chief smiled back at him. "I know that, what'd ya take me for a 'dumb Indian'?"

Casino laughed as he took the photo back and handed it off to the Warden. He was still getting used to the fact that Chief would joke around with them now. The kid was really startin' to loosen up.

Garrison took a moment to look at the picture and be 'introduced' to Marcus and Angelica… Sister Mary Stephens now. He smiled as he looked the family over and recognized the setting. Giving the photo back he went on sorting through the mail and handing it out. The writing and addresses on the letters and parcels that came in were familiar to him now and he usually knew at a glace which man they went to. Checking another package he held it out, prodding his safe cracker in the arm with it. "Casino, you hit the jack pot. Here's another one."

Casino turned and glanced down at the package the Lieutenant was holding out to him, putting his hand out he shoved it back towards the man. "Jeeze! We need to get your eyes checked or somethin' Warden? That one's addressed to you." Ma'd written him after they'd gotten back that she was gonna do this, askin' if he thought it'd be OK.

Garrison handed the few remaining letters around, tucked the stack of official dispatches under his arm and took the package back, checking the recipients info to be sure before he turned and headed into his office. Casino raised an eyebrow and shrugged to the other's questioning looks as the Lieutenant's door closed. He thought the Warden'd be happy to get it, but sometimes you couldn't tell with people.

Garrison sat at his desk and carefully slit the string and brown wrapping paper with his pocket knife. Setting that aside he cut the tape that held the end flap of the box closed and slid out the contents. A handful of letters fell in his lap as he pulled out an object protected by several layers of soft cloth. He sat the bundle aside and sorted through the letters, smiling as he saw Jeannette's childish scrawl on one, Casino's mother's exuberantly looped writing on another. He checked the return address block on the others. Marika, Rebecca and Wendi had all included notes in the package. He neglected his reports for almost an hour as he read through all of them.

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The call had finally come in later that day, just like they knew it would, and the Warden had taken off in a jeep headed in to London. There was no reason to wonder what he'd have with him when he returned. Anyone fool enough to bet against a mission would lose his shirt. The rest of the men had gone to relax outside for the time they had left but Casino was still inside the mansion. He'd gone into the Warden's office after he finished his letters from home expecting to see the framed photograph on the guy's desk and was disappointed when it wasn't there. He shook his head, she'd be askin' how that went over in her next letter and as he made his way upstairs to put his stuff away he wondered what he'd tell her. He stopped in the hallway, the room he and the others used sat on one side, the Warden's the other. Giving in to curiosity he pushed the door to the Warden's room open and smiled to see the photograph setting on the dresser… He shot a look up and down the hall just to make sure he was alone before he stepped inside and walked over to the bureau. His family, gathered around the kitchen table, smiled up at him from the frame and he grinned as he read the inscription;

'CFG, When you get tied up with this family it's a life sentence. Love Ma'.

but he picked up the small loose photo that leaned against the mirror, he'd never seen any pictures out, he didn't know the Warden had any.

The photo he held in his hand was old, fragile. It had lost bits off the edges and had gone a little yellow over time. There were some smudges where it had been handled and a crease ran across the bottom. Two people were there on the paper he held in his palm. Not smiling out at him like most pictures, but smiling at one another. The woman was dressed simply in a high collared dress that had pleats across the front. She wore her hair twisted up off her neck, and she was holding a bunch of flowers in the crook of her left arm. Her right hand rested on the arm of the man standing next to her. The young man was in the uniform of the last war. He was thin and a little hollow in the face, the large hand that covered the woman's as it rested on his arm was projecting from a sling and the smile he gave the girl lit the photo.

It didn't matter that the picture was black and white. Casino had no doubt that the hair under the man's cap was dark gold and the eyes that looked at the woman's slightly upturned face were hazel. They might have seen a vague resemblance in the painting they'd found in the house in Germany, but no one could mistake the man in the photo for anyone other than Garrison's father. It was hard to tell from the picture if he was shorter than the Warden or if his mother was taller than average. As they stood there together they looked almost eye to eye….

The slamming of the large front door shook Casino out of his pondering, he put the photograph carefully back where he'd found it and beat it across the hall into his own quarters. The door was just swinging closed when he heard the Warden's shout.

"Casino! Get down here. We've got a mission on."


End file.
